Podcasts about claimants

In Episode 472, Stacey Richter speaks with Dr. Eric Bricker about the impactful strategies hospital systems use to maximize revenue from high-cost patients. They explore the financial complexities and contracting tactics that enable hospitals to profit significantly from a small percentage of high-cost claimants. Key points include the negotiation of provider stop-loss contract provisions, strategic adjustment of charge masters, and the intentional steerage of patients to high-revenue service lines. This episode highlights the intricacies of hospital finance and the hidden mechanisms that drive healthcare costs for self-insured employers and other plan sponsors. We could have 0.5% to 1% of total plan members costing upwards of 40% of total plan dollars. And I bring this up just to highlight the magnitude of the money here. In that show from last week, we take the issue of high-cost claimants from the standpoint of the plan sponsor. Today, however, we're gonna be looking at this from the standpoint of the hospital system. If we were to come up with a motto for the show today with Dr. Eric Bricker, it's that all costs are somebody else's revenue. And when it's revenue and profit of the magnitude that we're talking about with many high-cost claimants, it starts to be less of an accidental “Oh, wow! How did that CABG patient wind up in our clinic? What are the odds?” and more of a “Whoever is not steering patients is letting someone else with a big profit incentive lock down that steerage in deeply embedded ways.”  === LINKS ===

Send us a textAfter much anticipation since we started this podcast, Stuart Colburn joins us for a special episode focused on Texas! Stuart, a shareholder at Downs & Stanford, P.C., has over 25 years of experience in workers' compensation. He shares his journey into our industry and expertly navigates the evolution of the Texas Workers' Compensation system since the 1980s. Throughout the conversation, he highlights the unique aspects that make Texas' approach distinctly different from those of other states.Stuart is board certified in Workers' Compensation Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and was the founder and first Chair of the State Bar of Texas Workers' Compensation Section. He co-authors the Texas Workers' Compensation Handbook published by LexisNexis and, as a certified lobbyist and frequent Division of Workers' Compensation conference representative, brings valuable policy perspective to the conversation.(Correction: Stuart mentions 2011 as the year Wikipedia and iTunes emerged; however, the correct year is 2001.)NOTE: Stuart shares a slide deck during this episode, which you can see in the video version on our YouTube channel. Resources mentioned in this episode:Texas Workers' Compensation Handbook 2025 EditionTexas Department of Insurance - Workers' Compensation Texas Subsequent Injury FundAmerican Medical Association (AMA) GuidesOfficial Disability Guidelines ODG by MCG National Comp ConferenceStuart Colburn bio¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

Recently on Relentless Health Value, we've been tinkering around with a few recurring themes—recurring through lines—that are just true about American healthcare these days. In this episode of Relentless Health Value, host Stacey Richter speaks with Dr. Christine Hale about high cost claimants and the implications for healthcare plans in 2025 and beyond. They discuss the importance of trust in patient care, the financial incentives behind patient steering, and the critical role of timely and comprehensive data analysis. Dr. Hale emphasizes the need for an integrated approach to medical and pharmacy claims data to avoid expensive consequences and improve patient outcomes. She also shares strategies for plan sponsors to effectively manage high cost claimants through evidence-based care, appropriate treatment settings, and creative problem-solving, while underlining the importance of patient engagement and satisfaction. Don't miss next week's episode with Dr. Eric Bricker for a deeper dive into these topics. === LINKS ===

Lawyers are grappling with what to do about an increasing number of Asian parties in court, who won't settle, and insist on going to court. 

Are taxpayers being 'taken for a ride'? A local MP is among those raising concerns about the number of cars being supplied to Motability claimants in Northern Ireland. Frank spoke to Will Yarwood from the Taxpayers Alliance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Maytham speaks to Andre Maxwell, Chairperson of the Protea Village Community Property Association, about what this moment means for the claimants, the challenges they faced, and the way forward for the development.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some Labour MPs have voiced concerns about government plans to reduce the number of people claiming benefits. We explore what's behind the rise in benefits claims and speak to a psychiatrist about the danger of “overdiagnosis”.Vladimir Putin has paid a rare visit to a military outpost in Kursk as Russian forces reclaimed much of the territory held by Ukraine since August last year.A new study has been looking at ways to reduce the risk of oxygen deprivation in newborn babies.

The pause on the 25% duty for CA and MX imports (10% for energy or energy resources) is limited to products of Canada and Mexico that qualify as originating under the USMCA. Importers must understand and apply the complex USMCA rules and maintain supporting documentation to avoid these tariffs. An unexpected 25% increase (and possible penalties) down the road for a faulty USMCA claim could be catastrophic to your business.

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/AnalyticAnalytic Dreamz provides a comprehensive breakdown of the $95 million Siri settlement in this segment. Apple faces allegations of recording private conversations without consent, despite the company denying misuse of data. The settlement covers a decade of device use, from September 17, 2014, to December 31, 2024, across a range of Apple products. Claimants must affirm under oath experiencing unintended Siri activations, potentially receiving up to $20 per device, with a cap at 5 devices. The process involves filing claims through a forthcoming official website by May 15, 2025. Key issues include privacy breaches from accidental activations and concerns over data sharing, countered by Apple's privacy enhancements post-2019. This case sheds light on the tech industry's privacy challenges, the financial impact on Apple, and the broader implications for user privacy in the era of voice assistants.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/analytic-dreamz-notorious-mass-effect/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Most land claimants in South Africa prefer cash payouts over receiving land. The Department of Land Reform and Rural Development reports that, of the 79,696 claims lodged by 1998, only 11.8% opted for land, while 56,040 chose monetary compensation. Urbanization, lost agrarian skills, and the allure of middle-class lifestyles were cited as reasons for this trend. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to Terrance Corrigan, Projects and Publications manager at the Institute for Race Relations

Lester Kiewit spoke with Guy Chennells, Chief Commercial Officer at Discovery Corporate and Employee Benefits, about the latest findings from Discovery's data on the ‘two-pot' retirement system. Two out of every ten claimants are now using their retirement savings to cover education-related expenses. What are the implications of this trend for long-term financial security? Listen as Lester and Guy unpack the details and discuss what this means for South Africans.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lester Kiewit speaks to Outa's Wayne Duvenage about the Road Accident Fund's battle to prevent millions in claims from being paid to foreign nationals in the country illegally. The law requires the RAF to pay claimants whether here legally or not.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Essential businesses and schools remain closed until Wednesday as Hurricane Oscar makes landfall in Cuba - an island already in the midst of a massive power failure. Millions have been struggling with a near nationwide blackout after a major power station came offline. The government said power is expected to be mostly restored by Monday evening. We hear how food and water are proving difficult to come by for some islanders.The High Court in London begins hearing a civil trial over the responsibility for Brazil's worst environmental disaster - the collapse of a mining dam in 2015. Nineteen people were killed and hundreds of homes were destroyed as toxic water was released. Claimants are now seeking $47bn in damages. And, as the 16th annual summit BRICS is about to be hosted by the Russian President VladImir Putin – we speak to Lord Jim O'Neill. He coined the synonym ‘BRICS' but told us he felt the organisation ‘no longer knows what it stands for'. Its members - including some new ones attending for the first time - account for 40% of the world's population and around a third of the world's GDP. You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033. We would love to hear from you!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We take a closer look at Ottawa's plan to relocate more asylum seekers away from Quebec and Ontario, including thousands more to New Brunswick. Adi Rao of the Madhu Verma Migrant Justice Centre speaks with host Rachel Cave.

In our recent podcast, David Hossack and Fiona Meek look at the recent EAT case of Masiero & others v Barchester Healthcare PLC, where the EAT concluded that the dismissal of the Claimants for refusing to comply with the mandatory covid vaccination policy was fair.  

In our recent podcast, David Hossack and Fiona Meek look at the recent EAT case of Masiero & others v Barchester Healthcare PLC, where the EAT concluded that the dismissal of the Claimants for refusing to comply with the mandatory covid vaccination policy was fair.  

The RAF has been ordered to pay a R4.9 million claim to teenager. In a judgement passed down in the Western Cape High Court on the 1st of August, the Road Accident Fund (RAF) has been ordered to pay a Lavender Hill teenager nearly R5 million for severe injuries he sustained in a bicycle accident about seven years ago. The case stems from an accident in which the now teenager suffered injuries to his head as an 8-year-old. Acting Judge Ajay Bhoopchand of the Western Cape High Court also had harsh words for the RAF when awarding the 16-year-old boy R4.9m, saying the boy's township education did not mean he could not have had a promising career if he had not suffered the traumatic brain injurySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An ACC lawyer and advocate is taking legal action against ACC, saying injured claimants are losing jobs and homes while they wait to have disputed decisions reviewed and resolved.

Claimants today at the Waitangi Tribunals inquiry accused the government of gaslighting Maori through its Te Reo policy, something lawyers for the Crown have denied, Pokere Paewai reports.

Twenty-eight Road Accident Fund claimants are taking the entity to court for non-payment of funds. The applicants' attorney Kabelo Malao says his clients are still waiting for payments despite court orders against the state entity or claims being settled. For more on this, Mr. Kabelo Malao, a Senior Lawyer from K Malao Incorporated spoke to Elvis Presslin

17 Apr 2024. We look at the impact of wild weather and what could it mean for the insurance industry with various experts: AFIA Insurance Brokerage Services LLC, octopus & GIG Gulf. Plus, we speak to the CEO of Spinneys, Sunil Kumar, about the company's growth plans on the back of its IPO announcement.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Summary   Ron Gura, the co-founder and CEO of Empathy joins us today on our show. Empathy aims to provide support and guidance to individuals who have lost a loved one, helping them navigate the administrative and emotional aspects of the process. He shares his personal journey and the inspiration behind starting Empathy. The conversation delves into the workflow and touchpoints of Empathy's services, the co-branded experience for carriers and producers, and the impact of Empathy's services on claimants. The episode concludes with a discussion on breaking the taboo around death and the value of experience over product in the insurance industry.   Takeaways   Empathy is a company that provides support and guidance to individuals who have lost a loved one, helping them navigate the administrative and emotional aspects of the process. The taboo around death and loss needs to be broken, and conversations about mortality and end-of-life planning should be encouraged. Empathy offers a co-branded experience for carriers and producers, allowing them to provide personalized support and resources to their policyholders and beneficiaries. Having conversations about death and end-of-life planning is essential, and individuals should take the time to discuss their wishes and make necessary arrangements with their loved ones. Experience and support are more important than the product itself in the insurance industry, and companies should focus on delivering a positive customer experience throughout the claims process.   Chapters   00:00 Introduction and Weather Update 01:03 The Importance of Life Insurance Claims 02:07 Introduction of Guest: Ron Gura, Co-founder and CEO at Empathy 03:06 The Taboo Topic of Death and Empathy's Mission 04:12 Ron Gura's Background and Journey to Empathy 06:26 The Impact of Personal Loss on Ron Gura's Mission 08:25 The Need for Conversations About Loss and Death 10:04 The Workflow and Touchpoints of Empathy's Services 11:25 The Co-branded Experience for Carriers and Agents 13:26 The Administrative Support Provided by Empathy 15:44 The Impact of Empathy's Services on Claimants 17:44 The Logistics and Timing of Introducing Further Business Relationships 19:02 The Importance of Breaking the Taboo Around Death 23:20 The Value of Experience Over Product in the Insurance Industry 31:10 The Right Time and Approach to Introduce Further Business Relationships 35:12 Closing Thoughts and Advice on Having Conversations About Death 38:33 Conclusion and Call to Action     Paul Tyler (00:03.303) Hi, this is Paul Tyler and welcome to another episode of That Annuity Show. Bruno, how are you? Good. Coming in clear from Canada. This is great today. Yeah. Tisa, how are you?   Bruno Caron (00:09.152) I'm very good, thank you Paul.   Bruno Caron (00:13.94) Always happy to be here.   Tisa Rabun-Marshall (00:18.474) We've got snow here in the Connecticut area, but snow day, but doing good.   Paul Tyler (00:22.459) Indeed, indeed we do. Ramsey, it's the first time it snowed in forever. You missed it.   Ramsey Smith (00:27.473) Yeah, I think we sent it your way. It was raining like crazy here for a couple days, but now the sun's just coming out, so yeah, you're welcome.   Paul Tyler (00:34.003) All right, well good. Hey listen, we got a really interesting episode with a great guest today, just to sort of connect the dots with some of our previous shows. What's the most important thing about life insurance? It's gotta be claims, right? That's at the end of the day, what we're doing is paying checks or income payments or death claims and there's no more sort of fundamental purpose in our business, yet it's a hard one to, it's hard to do right.   You know, TISA, we've had a couple of conversations, right, with people who've explained how it can be disruptive in terms of cross-generational relationships, right? Yeah, so today we have somebody who's actually trying to fix that. It's Ron Gura. Ron, I hope I pronounced your name correctly, co-founder and CEO at Empathy. Thank you so much for joining us today.   Tisa Rabun-Marshall (01:11.073) Absolutely. Yeah.   Ron Gura (01:26.154) great to be here. I always dreamed about being on a podcast with the word nudity and now I'm... look at my eye. I made it.   Tisa Rabun-Marshall (01:34.967) Hahaha   Ramsey Smith (01:35.961) Oh dude, all right.   Bruno Caron (01:36.) Today's your day.   Paul Tyler (01:37.441) Today it is, you know. SEO is going to go through the rough. SEO will go through the rough here.   Tisa Rabun-Marshall (01:40.098) Dreams come true.   Ron Gura (01:43.682) Absolutely. I'm excited to be here and eventually talk about just that, that big moment of truth. That's what a claim really is, right? It's a premise. It's more than just financial peace of mind. What else happens? So that's where we come in and excited to talk about that and what's happening in life insurance.   Paul Tyler (01:52.697) Yeah.   Paul Tyler (02:07.375) Yeah, well this is great. So, well first off, tell people like, you know, what is empathy and what does your company do?   Ron Gura (02:14.102) Sure thing. So empathy is primarily the friend you wish you had when you lose a loved one. That's how I'd love people to really think about it. It's not just a friend, it's that knowledgeable neighbor that happens to be an ex-state lawyer, but now maybe also a social worker. And it's really, really experienced with...   winding down the affairs of a loved one, but also helping you get back on your feet again. That's really what we're trying to do here, save people, families, time and money and stress when the inevitable happens. As you know, Paul better than most, it happens. It doesn't escape any of us. It's the inescapable truth, but at the same time, it's the single largest consumer sector that is, for some reason, untouched. Untouched by innovation.   untouched by technology, unspoiled by software really. And I think we can all agree the reason it's untouched is not some regulatory barrier or technology barrier. It's just us, us here on the call as humans, trying really hard, so hard, not to think about us, not to contemplate our own self-mortality.   And we believe here at Empathy that like any other taboo topic, this one should be broken down as well. And if we put the right technology in place with the right amount of human touch, we can really change the market and empower people during what we believe is life's most challenging moments.   Ramsey Smith (03:55.041) So tell us a little bit about your journey. You've touched a lot of different areas, the innovation space, various startups. Tell us about how that journey informs your approach to empathy.   Ron Gura (04:12.642) So yeah, I'm a consumer internet person. I'm not a life insurance expert. I play my ignorance for what it's worth and get to be the outsider in a lot of meetings asking funky questions like, hey, didn't that claimant beneficiary who just called you, he's not a good lead. Like, isn't that an adult child, stranger, who's not your customer?   calling you, giving you all of his information, all of his data, chasing you again, giving you more data, telling you he's at need, need money, money you know you have, money you know he's gonna get in a few weeks, big liquidity event, bigger than probably any other big event he's gonna have.   And what are you going to do? Like you're going to do what? You're going to send him the check and do more Superbowl ads? The guy's right here. So a glass of wine as you wait for your table is really how I look at this from an outsider view. Like, what's going on? Isn't this weird that the only industry within insurance   where the beneficiary is not the policyholder, technically, is not, people don't think about it. Of course, if a PNC claim, that's a renewal moment. Like someone's gonna give you really good service. And don't get me wrong, paying effectively and accurately and with sympathies is good service. And a lot of carriers, I think have their...   They wear their heart on their sleeves and they're trying to do good in this neutral negative event. But long story short, it's not enough. From a background standpoint, that's me. I'm a consumer intent person. I've been going in and out from startups that usually I get to start myself as a naive person. I get to wear my pink rose glasses all the time.   Ron Gura (06:26.278) And in and out from bigger companies, I had the chance to have meaningful executive roles at eBay and PayPal and WeWork, and always very much focused on the product and the consumer. In terms of what led me to this, I think, well, nobody starts an end-of-life company without having their fair share of loss. I had my fair share of loss, definitely. I can share with you that...   while probably not the final trigger, definitely the earliest one was losing my brother at an early age, Amir, that completely changed family dynamics. My single mom with three opinionated, well, playful boys, over energetic Israeli boys, who...   Ron Gura (07:28.274) grew up in Haifa, north of Israel. And my brother, Amir, my middle brother, was diagnosed with a very severe and aggressive type of cancer. And after he passed away, I vividly remember one Saturday morning, my mom literally taking a lock, key and locking his door, which remained locked for the next 15 years.   and was a very vivid and clear representation and reminder of what happened. And also how we're shutting it down, not to be talked about in many ways. With no complaints on my mom's side here, but... It's the first time I understood nobody wants to talk about loss. Well, kids usually get up from watching Lion King for the first time.   Bruno Caron (08:25.584) Thanks for watching!   Ramsey Smith (08:26.587) Mm-hmm.   Ron Gura (08:26.947) and kind of losing their faith in humanity, lions and uncles at the same time. But they have a lot of questions. Kids, I got two daughters myself now, Tom and Danny, and nine and six years old. They ask a lot of questions and sometimes after Disney movies, they do ask me questions about mortality and life and death and they kind of move on. But I didn't.   I made my mom's life very difficult. I've been asking questions again and again and again. And then I had more loss, friends, colleagues, natural loss, even friends from the army. But it was actually only after eBay acquired my first startup, the GIFS project, and I was a young product director at eBay, one of my employees lost his wife to cancer.   and I showed up in an apartment in Milpitas, San Jose.   Knowing that I don't know what to expect, knowing that it's going to be very different than my community, my religion, my experience, but didn't know how different. He was by himself with a suit, shaved, doing probate paperwork, asking me about when do I need him back. That was really a big aha moment for me. That was when I took my black notebook and said, oh.   That's weird. Like, why don't we have anything for this? Like we need headspace for grief, but we really need toolable tax for a state settlement. And we kind of need both. And we kind of can't decouple the two. Grief is made hard by logistics. Logistics are made harder by grief. And I don't get the luxury of choosing one of them and say, I'll do a FinTech product that is only pre-filling your probate stuff. That's...   Ron Gura (10:33.142) It's not going to be something people want to talk about or use such an emotional period. So long story short, three and a half years ago, my co-founder and I, Jan, we started Empathy. We're now 80 people between New York headquarters and Tel Aviv R&D Center. We have $48 million in venture capital from 2.1 folks like General Catalyst, Alif, Entree, and others.   We work with MetLife, New York Life, Guardian, many other, dozens of other carriers, dozens of big employers, progressive employers who want to show up for their teams. And what I think we're doing more than anything else is putting a spotlight on this taboo topic and creating hopefully a very empowering workflow of continuity of care.   Paul Tyler (11:25.115) Maybe talk to us a little bit about the workflow. You know, we have people who listen who are, some people on the group side, we've got some people on the individual side, of course, we always look at it from our own lens, right? At the end of the day, it's a person. Stuff for the loss is getting checked. Maybe talk about the customers on either end. Like if I'm a, you know, I've got an employee and I've had a policy, or I guess my loved one was an employee and I've got a policy check or I'm a beneficiary. How does that workflow?   Ron Gura (11:36.75) Mm-hmm.   Paul Tyler (11:54.515) feel to a person who's a beneficiary.   Ron Gura (11:58.478) So the tiny differences. The differences would mostly be on the touch points. We do a no-code, simple implementation. We learned the hard way that the one thing that is more expensive to carriers than money is IT resources. I think that's a big lesson for us. And since we got that, we shifted to a no-code implementation and added more than 14 carriers in 14 months.   And that was a big aha moment for us and what drove a lot of our Forex growth in 2023. We add a few multifaceted simple touch points. For example, the script on that call, sorry for a loss, but we're not going anywhere. That insert on the brochure on the snail mail with the QR code, hey, if you need anything at all, scan this.   Email that says, number one, we got your claim. Number two, you're eligible for 24-7, bereavement care. So these simple touch points didn't require any data transfer. We don't need to know the social security. We don't need to know the face value. We don't want to know if Ms. Jones was rich or poor. We want to democratize access for grief in the state administration. So when you think about group and individual, it's just those touch points that are slightly different.   the bereaved next of kin, who cares? Like they're dealing with so much, who cares if they got the policy from, you know, New York Life GBS or New York Life individual. It's group or individual, you still have probate, funeral, grief, sleep support, mood tracking, social security, IRA, deactivation of social media, deactivation of accounts, banks.   selling the property, fighting with your sister, doing a state tax, thinking about identity theft, and you know, just 50 other topics from veteran administration all the way to IRAs. So when someone passes away, it's overwhelming. We publish every January the cost of dying report to create more awareness.   Ron Gura (14:23.026) on the full implications on us as individuals and as a society for the employer cost, the financial cost, the emotional cost. You can see that on empathy.com. And it's 50 pages of infographics that are basically showing us it's more than a year of work to wind down the affairs of a loved one on average. It's more than 400 hours of direct work. Of course, from a group standpoint.   Of course your employee has a second job, he can't bring his whole self back to work. Of course from an individualized standpoint, that glass of wine as you wait for your table makes a lot of sense when you are thinking about generational loyalty and asset retention and NPS because what other moment of truth do you have that is bigger than someone calling in and saying, I lost a loved one?   Where is my money? Of course, of course you need to have the money ready. That's the 90%. I, life insurance is still about financial protection, but people expect much more and we hope they will. I hope they will continue to expect much more. Right now, one out of seven claimants in the U S is getting more from empathy.   Ramsey Smith (15:44.821) So is it, is the solution, I don't want to call it a product, because that doesn't give it the right name, but the experience, let's call it the experience. Is it branded according to the carriers? Is it branded as empathy? So is it white label or is it, are the carriers able to carry their own brand?   Ron Gura (16:05.462) So it's both. It's a co-branded experience. Just give you a quick example if you're already on video. So I'm going to pop my Empathy app. And one of our carriers is going to pop as a covered by. And then inside the experience, you're going to have both the digital app. You're going to have your care team service element 24-7, especially social workers and more that are available for discussion.   Ramsey Smith (16:21.344) Yep.   Ron Gura (16:35.106) You're going to have other places where you understand this is coming from this carrier specifically. And can even create a lead back to them at the right time in the least intrusive way possible. The exact opposite from an agent calling after the loss and say, hey, what about you? This is actually about first thing and first thing first, cementing.   trust in showing up. First let me save you some time in money and stress.   First, let me offer you a glass of wine. Then let's check what's going on with the table. First, make sure that you got what you need right now. If that's funeral comparison, if that's estate tax, if that's cleaning the property. Whatever advice or support you need, you got it. Then when you're ready to talk about your financial legacy, your family.   Of course, the same carrier that sent you to empathy would love to continue that conversation with you. And why not?   Ramsey Smith (17:44.737) So how much of the logistics? So there's the, obviously there's the, there's a psychological element of it, but of all the long list of logistical hurdles you have to go through that you mentioned before, how many of those are you providing sort of specific intervention on to make those steps easier?   Ron Gura (18:03.638) I'd say it's half of what we do. We do the filing for petition for probate. We do the preparing for the house for vacancy. We close and deactivate accounts and cancel subscription. We give you a dedicated personal care plan that is personalized for you, Arizona or New Jersey, five siblings or none, Jewish or Muslim, executor or not.   We help with the eulogy, with the obituary, the funeral, the debts, the notifications of loss, the social security, the IRAs, the purchasing of a headstone all the way to the bonds, the credit bureaus. So it's a long list of tens of items in the administrative side, probably hundred something items that you need help with. Every one of them could be quickly five other items. So we don't just tell you what to do.   We actually do it for you and with you.   Ramsey Smith (19:01.417) Got it.   Paul Tyler (19:02.131) Tisa, could you have used this?   Tisa Rabun-Marshall (19:05.874) Yes, so I experienced a significant loss in August of 2021. As a middle-aged adult, it was my first major loss, so I'm grateful for that. But because it was my first major loss, it was a long process. So I think it took two and a half years. We just closed probate.   We just did. I don't know, what's this? This is February. Maybe it was right before Christmas. So as I'm listening to you speak, Ron, I'm thinking through all of it feels very real. I guess I have a couple of follow-up questions. One of my questions was, I heard you say bereavement care, I think is what you said. So I wanted to dig into a little bit of the services under that umbrella, but I think you probably just spoke about that a little bit.   I guess I'm curious looking at the mobile app that you showed that is claimant or beneficiary focused. What are the resources or what is the version of that app, if any, look like for the agent? What sort of support or guide or talk track are you giving to the agent so that they can handle that claim experience differently? Say the things differently, do the things differently to still cultivate the lead, but in...   you know, in that way that's not intrusive, to use your word, and in a way that sort of shifts their thinking about the opportunity in that moment of truth. You could talk a little bit.   Ron Gura (20:42.127) First thing, I'm sorry to hear about your loss and the process that you're going through and two and a half years in. It might feel like a lot of time to do the administration, but it's actually very normal on the executor side. Like when we're talking about 18 months average, it's...   Tisa Rabun-Marshall (20:57.687) Get coming.   Ron Gura (21:04.53) including a lot of folks that are not the official executor. Once you are and you're actually going through probate, two years plus is very regular in the US, unfortunately. And well, I do.   Tisa Rabun-Marshall (21:17.95) In particular, when everyone lives in different states where they grew up. Don't cross the state line because that adds, you know, months, years.   Ron Gura (21:26.294) that's also not very rare in the United States. And just even having one piece of property in Arizona and a motorcycle in New Jersey, that's it. You're going through a whole new fun process and we help refill that. So on your questions, first, bereavement care is really the emotional side of everything we do. So there's really just the two halves that I was mentioning before. And on the...   Tisa Rabun-Marshall (21:29.689) Yeah.   Ron Gura (21:55.826) emotional side, I would split it also into the product and the service. The product would be everything you would imagine a wellness app to do in 2024, but tailored for grief. So grief coaching.   grief meditation, grief music, audios, podcasts, videos, thousands of articles about any topic from as small as how do I tell the kids all the way to a specific probate petition in New York City. So that would be mood tracking and sleep support. And of course,   a lot of self-reflections and healing. At the same time, anything the app can do just yet, or if you need anything, 24-7 bereavement care with our care managers. That could be 2 a.m., can't fall asleep, or it could be middle of your workday when you ran out of a conference room to cry in the bathroom because you feel guilty. You call us, we take those calls.   Tisa Rabun-Marshall (22:54.623) Mm-hmm.   Paul Tyler (23:10.535) Wow. Well, you know, maybe...   Ron Gura (23:10.826) You can chat on the app, you can talk on the phone. We're always there. You're never alone when you have empathy.   Tisa Rabun-Marshall (23:11.478) Yeah, it's.   Tisa Rabun-Marshall (23:18.652) That's very comprehensive.   Paul Tyler (23:20.999) Yeah, it is. And, you know, just double clicking on something you said, you know, because we do have a lot of distributors and stuff on the line. You said, Oh, you kind of like insert the opportunity for an agent to actually help somebody through the financial process at the right time. I like to understand that a little more just to give you my backstory. I worked at MetLife when that was, you know, actually had a retail division, you know, it was, and we had a whole program called Delivering the Promise, which was delivering the death claim check.   You know, two observations there. One is any agent who actually gets to deliver a death claim check will be an agent for life. That is a transformative experience. I think a lot of agents are selling the product. You never actually get to see the product getting used. And those who are lucky enough to actually see this, it was a huge, a huge, a huge event in their life to deliver that and see, see the product actually works. Um, now to flip that side, it was also very.   competitive process because as you said, it's a massive event financially for somebody. A lot of big liquidity event, maybe one of the biggest ones they'll have in their lives. How do you do this appropriately? Now, we screened agents. This is not something you just sort of drew a number for. You had to get approved. You had to go through a coaching process. You had to learn how to do this. Talk to us about how and when do you digitally   start that conversation. You know, when, to T's point, is it month, you know, I think this is horrible, month 15 or is it month 16 or is it something that happened along the way that you've, that say, okay, now's the right time to do that.   Ron Gura (24:51.639) Mm-hmm.   Ron Gura (25:05.486) So first thing I can tell you that while Midlife did decouple from the retail business, they still deliver on the promise and they do it on the group side. I got to know the organization very closely and the way they show up for their national accounts and employers and support the next of kin of the employees is very, very unique, very efficient and I think very comprehensive.   And when that happens, it's really no different, like I said, between an individual and a group. You are still going through all of this, even if your loved one was a Nike employee or a Google employee, or never was a freelancer and never had a group life. It's still a loss of a loved one. From the agent perspective...   The shortest explanation I can give in probably a good summary of everything we do here is taking a transaction and shifting into our relationship. That's really what this is about. We have this massive multi-trillion dollar industry that is intermediated, that is lacking engagement. It's kind of, you know, you have such amazing retention.   relatively speaking to SaaS products, but you don't really have any meaningful engagement with the policyholder. And even on the agent side, let's take a classic agents of business, probably 200 years old, some big mutual in the US, and 10,000, 20,000 agents, whatever the number are gonna be, still 70% of the claimants are gonna be unassigned.   or how the industry likes to call them, but I don't, orphans, orphan claims. 70%, that's the number. We have a pretty good umbrella view on the entire industry of seven-digit volume of claims every year. Not even the largest carriers in the United States have seven digits in claim volume. I can tell you, even if you did the absolute best job as an agent...   Ron Gura (27:24.446) The chances of my dad's agent to still be in business practicing when my dad passed away, just not likely. High net worth individuals, of course, different mechanics here, different physics, people make different efforts for obvious reasons. And while we don't differentiate, the market does. And you'll see.   people spend more time about generation loyalty and getting to know the son or the daughter. However, at the end of the day, agents are about top line. Agents are about my next deal. And talking to the Barret family, showing compassion, it's a part of the job, but it's not my training. It's not something...   I'm uniquely positioned to do outside of the fact that I've seen it before. And my admin or myself are going to shift them to the claim center. Maybe have some extra layer of care like, Hey, how's it going? Do you need anything else? But it's there's a claim center. That's what's going to happen. What we do is we, when there's an agent involved on the 30%, we do everything around the agent. Agents are the heroes. So John Smith.   is sending empathy to Mrs. Jones.   and everything is coming from him. If it's automated or not, he decides, he can send something every month. Every time, hey, I see you're making some progress on the will, on the probate, do you need help with this? And provide just a series of emails that are coming branded from the agent. That's a big help for people.   Ron Gura (29:21.234) And I think the industry is aligned. And when there is an agent involved, you want to go for the agent. And we have a back office for them. To your question, Tis, this is what we do. I showed you a little bit of the consumer app, of course. But there is a whole different system for agents. They can add a phone number and one click.   Tisa Rabun-Marshall (29:34.151) Yeah.   Ron Gura (29:41.942) They get the whole experience co-branded agent front and center. There's even a letter from the agent waiting in there. So putting the agent's front and center is, is very important.   Tisa Rabun-Marshall (29:55.222) That's great. It helps them build that relationship you talked about.   Ramsey Smith (29:59.285) I mean, there's so many sort of interesting time-related issues to this sort of customer journey, right? So, Paul, you talked about delivering the promise. So the first time gap is between the point of sale and the claim, which things change, maybe the agent's not in the business anymore. All right, so then you have the claim, very important point of delivering the promise, right? But everything else that you're talking about, Ron,   around bereavement and settling the estate. And then at some point being ready for some further business relationship is essentially undefined, right? Ahead of time, you know, at T zero, it's undefined. And it could take months or weeks or years. And so that's a very interesting sort of part of the experience and how you manage it, how you figure out when it's time and when it's time, to whom do you send that?   Who ultimately gets that lead? Does it go back to the company? Does it go back to the same agent or that agent has gone to somebody else? Like how does, what is the path for the further business relationship down the road?   Ron Gura (31:10.358) So the last part is actually the easiest, right? Like the company defines if they want everyone to go to a central location, a phone, a digital form, easy to enhance and customize. It's within our three weeks implementation period. That's the easy part. But figuring out what and when to say to the beneficiary in order to put this in front of them, but not selling them.   Ramsey Smith (31:13.213) Yeah.   Ramsey Smith (31:18.963) Yeah.   Ramsey Smith (31:22.206) Mm-hmm.   Yeah.   Ron Gura (31:39.382) is really important. So I won't share exactly our unique data around when to surface what, but I will tell you that if someone is a few months in, it's not a secret that they're starting to think about the fact that, well, I'm next. There's a reason why 33% of the wheels that people buy   Ramsey Smith (31:41.249) It's very hard.   Ron Gura (32:08.626) are after the loss of a loved one, usually a parent. It's that clear generational movement that people comprehend. And we wanna surface that at the right time, in the right place. People are understanding the implications of not having those sensible conversations with their loved one just a few weeks and months ago.   They understand even if they had a will, even if they had insurance, they didn't have the iPhone password. They don't know what to do with the dog. They're not sure what's, you know, you prefer cremation or not. They didn't have these conversations. And now they're thinking, you know what? I want to have all this information in place for my kid. They also get big check and they have liquidity and they're well positioned to now.   make a big purchase like life insurance and a big commitment. And they kind of understand like that their best position to understand the value of this industry because they get that check. And just like Paul said, an agent that delivered a check, understand the value, a beneficiary that received the check, understand what life insurance is. Until then it's a financial tool.   Ramsey Smith (33:09.511) Yep.   Ron Gura (33:34.374) And for us, it's really important to surface that at the right time. People are reading. We have far more data points than an agent sitting at their office thinking, should I call me Jones today or tomorrow? It's been two months or three months.   Ron Gura (33:52.794) we see what's going on and what state of mind she is and what can really add value to Ms. Jones. We will never do anything that is not 100% aligned with the beneficiary's best interest. I think if we do that once, we don't have a justification in this end of life category. And every employee that on board here at Empathy, that's the first thing they read on their.   Onboarding, if we lose track of our mission to help families deal with loss, we're just as good as the next predatory funeral home chain. Just another person trying to sell people something. But if we first and foremost say, wait, is this saving time and money and stress? Is this a good offer? Is this a good brand? Is this what the beneficiary wants to hear right now? Is this going to find its empowering?   to get support on probate. They're going to find it empowering to get an agent, call them and say, hey, here are your options in terms of your proceeds. Or maybe it's not the right time for that, and they're right now dealing with something very different. We know that. We're best positioned to know that more than the carrier, the agent, or any advisor.   Paul Tyler (35:10.471) Bruno, what are your thoughts?   Bruno Caron (35:12.349) Well, I was wondering, I mean, do you have any advice or any kind of a low hanging fruits, easy things people can do to save, to save significant amount of time when those things happen?   Ron Gura (35:31.882) Well, estate planning as a whole is something that pretty much 70% of Americans don't do. I can't say that's a low-hanging fruit. The folks that say it is, I would not necessarily trust them.   People that say, oh, five minute and you're gone, easy, fast, affordable. Wills and trusts and guardianship documents should not be fast and affordable. They should be thoughtful. You should be thinking about your hierarchy of values. You should be opening a bottle of wine with your significant other and asking you some really tough questions about who's going to raise the kids. Uh, however, even without proper documentation, having the conversation is a lot, talking with your parents is a lot.   Sometimes they will start talking back if you bring this up, but people don't wanna talk about mortality. So the longing fruit is break the taboo. Nothing to be ashamed of. This is literally like sex education in the 50s. Like just the fact that we are running away from it doesn't mean it's not a thing and people don't wanna, and need the support and advice.   Paul Tyler (36:41.799) Break the taboo. I think we've got a title for our podcast here. Tisa, do you think that works?   Tisa Rabun-Marshall (36:46.134) Absolutely. That's a note to end on, or start to end on. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I couldn't agree with you more. The loss I referenced a few minutes ago is exactly that. Thankfully, I had everything, my father had everything lined up, but it was the aha moment that like, ooh, I'm a parent. I probably need to do something, so if something, you know, so that the same experience could be for my child.   That is absolutely the reaction of getting your own affairs in order when you either probably witness a loved one not having their affairs in order and the impact it has to you or having them in order and the impact that has to you, you know how much harder it could have been without things in place. So I totally agree with you there. And I think it's just the conversation, setting the expectations, making those wishes known. They are hard conversations to have.   having to ask my 14 year old who you want to be with if mommy's not here. Who you know, I mean my heart's like pounding right now even saying that again. But it's necessary. And I think on the fight, it's kind of a similar like topics that are off limits, right? Like politics, religion, money.   Death. So, we shy away from having the conversations. They're uncomfortable sometimes and we have differing values. But I think to your point, like for your question of low hanging fruit and wrong, your answer of one of the easiest things, yet hardest things to do is to have a conversation and start to talk about things. So I appreciate that advice. I hope it resonates with our listeners.   Paul Tyler (38:06.175) Death.   Paul Tyler (38:29.148) Yeah, Ramsey.   Paul Tyler (38:33.482) Oh, sorry.   Ramsey Smith (38:37.717) Sorry, I was on mute. So I've long been of the view that if there were a simple mathematical formula for the opportunity set in the insurance space, it would be experience greater than product, just that. Like that is the direction that I think in all sectors of our industry, whether it's.   Ron Gura (38:50.263) Mm-hmm.   Ron Gura (38:57.526) Beautiful.   Ramsey Smith (38:58.301) with life, whether it's life, PNC, et cetera, that is where the greatest opportunity lies, both in terms of having happy customers for our existing businesses, but also to be able to extend our businesses into other areas. And Ron, you started out talking about just how you have this interesting situation in like in insurtech generally, what ends up being the problem that blows up a lot of new companies is that they...   their customer acquisition is too high, right? Then you have incumbents that have really deep relationships, even if they're not really worked on explicitly, but there's these really deep relationships of trust that exist. There's people that are under the tent and depend on you, and I think there's great opportunity to expand those relationships over time if done properly.   Paul Tyler (39:52.255) Yeah. Hey, Ron, listen, thanks so much for your time. I think what you're building is, it sounds like a wonderful service. I think, you know, I've been through it twice with both parents and I would have loved to have it as well. A little less recent than Tease's experience, but what's the best way for people to learn more about your company and, you know, for your carrier or, you know, distributing, you want to learn more about offering the product? What would they, where should they go?   Ron Gura (40:20.086) We'll keep it very simple. You go to empathy.com, you'll see our testimonials and case studies, our videos, our care team, our app, can reach out to us for a demo. And I think really join the movement of more and more carriers who are embracing a new standard when it comes to beneficiary care. And we're very excited.   about the momentum in the US, expanding beyond the US in 2024, and even beyond the life claims into additional adjacent categories that also include a moment of truth. And you'll be hearing more about that. But for now, empathy.com is really the simplest and easiest way to learn more about us.   Paul Tyler (41:09.119) Excellent. All right. Well, thanks so much. And I want to thank our listeners. Share this show. Recommend us to your friends. Give us feedback. And be sure to join us next week for another great episode of That Annuity Show. Thanks, everybody.

Jan. 16, 2024 ~ Beth LeBlanc from the Detroit News discusses long wait times for jobless aid applicants.

A True North exclusive reveals the federal tribunal in charge of approving refugee and asylum claims says it's not keeping track of adults who lied about their age and claimed they were unaccompanied minors upon arrival in Canada. Plus, if a Liberal MP gets his way, Senators and members of Parliament will no longer need to swear an oath of allegiance to King Charles III. And Liberals set their sights on Conservative MP Leslyn Lewis over a petition calling for Canada to leave the United Nations. Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and William McBeath! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Only one percent of the members in a typical group health insurance plan contribute 30% of the overall claims usage. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/benefithackers/message

No copyright ©️ intended.Credit to the content creator of whatever was added on.A 5 Hour critical observation on how what is perceived as the way of the 3 golden generations that has been misconstrued & manipulated, alongside a mention of 50 statements of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله on how to deal with those who fall into mistakes in Aqeedah and subsidiary matters in addition to a further 30+ statements of other scholars on matters pertaining to cooperating with those who have different leanings. ‎Dealing with other controversial issues such as the situation regarding Shaykh Muqbil رحمه الله and navigating the stance on Imam Abu Hanifa رحمه الله , highlighting inconsistencies and contradictions that has broken many homes, marriages and communities, and so much more.-----There are some blanks during which the Ustadh is showing text on the video, so I encourage you go and whatch his video on his youtube channel if interested: Original video here.

Join Ben, Scoot, Drew, & Kelly for DP 1237! Tonight,  we're going to zap the crap out of Scoot, talk about Jared doxxing people to appeal his false DMCAs, AND MORE! Last Night's Pre Show: https://the-drunken-peasants-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes Rent CLASSIC EPISODES from DP ON DEMAND for ONLY $2.99 each! Follow this link: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/drunkenpeasantsondemand Support our audio feed to get EXTRA content:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drunken-peasants-podcast/id1013248653https://open.spotify.com/show/6eulbMV0APnJ5yNR8Jc3IMhttps://bit.ly/SticherDrunkenPeasants New PC Fundraiser: https://drunkenpeasants.betterworld.org/campaigns/help-drunken-peasants-get-new-co Streamlabs Link: https://streamlabs.com/drunkenpeasants/tip *Google Calendar* https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=sund2qrenq20a2d5802cpp9i6k%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America%2FLos_Angeles*iCal* https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/sund2qrenq20a2d5802cpp9i6k%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.icsIntegrate into your Calendar: http://bit.ly/DPTAPCalendar SUPPORT US:  https://patreon.com/DPhttps://bit.ly/BraveAppDPhttps://bit.ly/BenBillyMerchhttps://streamlabs.com/drunkenpeasantshttps://youtube.com/DrunkenPeasants/joinhttps://subscribestar.com/DrunkenPeasantsPODSURVEY: https://podsurvey.com/peasants SOCIAL MEDIA:https://discord.gg/2fnWTbEhttps://fb.com/DrunkenPeasantshttps://twitch.tv/DrunkenPeasantshttps://twitter.com/DrunkenPeasantshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drunken-peasants-podcast/id1013248653https://open.spotify.com/show/6eulbMV0APnJ5yNR8Jc3IMhttps://bit.ly/SticherDrunkenPeasantshttps://bit.ly/DPUndergroundhttp://bit.ly/DPTAPCalendar BEN:  https://bit.ly/BenpaiYT BILLY THE FRIDGE:  https://youtube.com/Overweighthttps://twitter.com/BillyTheFridgehttps://instagram.com/BillyTheFridge PO BOX:The Drunken Peasants1100 Bellevue Way NESte 8A # 422Bellevue, WA 98004Be sure to put the name on the package you send as "The Drunken Peasants". If you would like to send something to a certain peasant, include a note inside the package with what goes to who. SPECIAL THANKS:https://twitter.com/GFIX_https://twitter.com/SYNJE_Grafxhttps://twitter.com/MarshalMansonhttps://berserkyd.bandcamp.comhttps://youtube.com/channel/UC9BV1g_9Iq67_yCyj5AX_4Q DISCLAIMER:The views and opinions expressed on our show by hosts, guests, or viewers, are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Drunken Peasants.

Lizzo has responded to the accusations and the attorney representing the plaintiffs said there may be more claimants.Thanks for joining me on the Being Beautifully Honest channel! Leave a comment, like & subscribe for more and check out my other videos.Get your Byte Aligners For a Discount of $100 off and 75% off an impression kit! http://fbuy.me/v/ewill_1Build your credit and earn reward points with your debit card! Check it out and you'll get 50,000 points ($50) if you sign up: https://extra.app/r/ELZABG2EGV...Your beautiful skin is waiting at www.inezelizabethbeauty.com and enter the code PERFECT10 for 10% off your first order! Get THE BEST EYELASH STRIPS here! https://temptinglashes.comJoin me on my other platforms!WEBSITE: WWW.BEINGBEAUTIFULLYHONEST.COMPODCAST: bit.ly/thebbhpcastSUBSCRIBE TO MY OTHER CHANNEL AT bit.ly/ytcmobeauty#lizzosued #lizzoharassmentlawsuit #lizzohostileworkenvironment

The War for the Crown continues as our five Taldan nobles discuss the challenges facing their nation and prepare to meet with Princess Eutropia. Support us on Patreon to access our actual play of the Tyrant's Grasp Adventure Path and other content: https://www.patreon.com/FindthePath Cast Rick Sandidge is our Gamemaster Heather Allen plays Viscountess Gwenhwyfar Kastner [...] The post War for the Crown Episode 31: Claimants appeared first on Find the Path Ventures.

The War for the Crown continues as our five Taldan nobles discuss the challenges facing their nation and prepare to meet with Princess Eutropia. Support us on Patreon to access our actual play of the Tyrant's Grasp Adventure Path and other content: https://www.patreon.com/FindthePath Cast Rick Sandidge is our Gamemaster Heather Allen plays Viscountess Gwenhwyfar Kastner (LG female human Skald 4) Jessica Jenkins plays Baroness Verity Corcina (LN female human Samurai 4) Jordan Jenkins plays Baron Cornelius Merrosett (N male human Arcanist 4) Rachel Sandidge plays Countess Felyx Zespire (LG female human Cleric 4) Ross Scoggin plays Count Oliver Darahan (NG male human Magus 4) In game music provided by Syrinscape! Check them out at https://syrinscape.com/ War for the Crown theme provided by Ryan Mumford.

July 18, 2023 - The federal government has announced new funding to help asylum claimants in need of housing. Power and Politics speaks to Immigration Minister Sean Fraser. Plus, we bring you more details on former U.S. president Donald Trump, who is facing a possible third indictment.

Welcome to another captivating episode of the Super Entrepreneurs Podcast! Today, we have an extraordinary guest with us, Galen Hare. He is the owner of Insurance Claim HQ and a property casualty attorney who has dedicated his career to helping families and businesses rebuild after disasters. With over 1200 successful cases under his belt, Galen is a true hero in the insurance claim realm.   In this enlightening conversation, Galen shares his passion for making a difference in people's lives. He delves into the challenges faced by individuals dealing with insurance claims, shedding light on the unfortunate reality of underpaid settlements. With his expert guidance, Galen educates listeners on how to navigate the complex world of insurance, ensuring they receive the compensation they deserve.   Prepare to be inspired as Galen recounts his journey, from volunteering in hurricane relief efforts to founding a nonprofit organization. His unwavering dedication and genuine care for his clients set him apart in the industry. Join us as we uncover invaluable tips, uncover the importance of comprehensive documentation, and learn how Galen's team goes above and beyond to provide support during the most challenging times. Get ready to gain insights and transform your understanding of insurance claims with Galen Hare on this episode of Super Entrepreneurs Podcast.   Chapter Stamps:   Introduction: Meet Galen Hare - 00:00:00 The Importance of Insurance Claims - 00:03:15 Challenges Faced by Claimants - 00:08:45 Navigating the Complexities of Insurance - 00:13:20 Galen's Journey and Volunteer Work - 00:18:10 Founding a Nonprofit Organization - 00:22:30 Tips for Maximizing Insurance Claims - 00:26:55 The Power of Comprehensive Documentation - 00:31:40 Going Above and Beyond for Clients - 00:36:15 Conclusion and Final Thoughts - 00:41:50   Pullout Quotes:   "Insurance claims aren't just paperwork; they can be life-changing opportunities for individuals to rebuild and recover." "Navigating the complexities of insurance can be overwhelming, but with the right guidance, claimants can level the playing field." "Volunteering has opened my eyes to the profound impact we can have when we stand up for those who need it most." "Founding a nonprofit organization has allowed me to extend my reach and provide support to a broader community." "Comprehensive documentation is the key to maximizing insurance claims. Don't underestimate its power." "Going above and beyond for clients is not just about meeting their expectations; it's about exceeding them and making a real difference in their lives."   Socials:   Website: https://insuranceclaimhq.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insuranceclaimhq/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEoMjB6FI90W14VUriCFYYw/featured   ----more---- Attention Super Entrepreneurs!   Are you tired of constantly chasing strategies and feeling stuck in your business? I have something special just for you. Join me for an exclusive webinar where I'll reveal the secrets to scaling your business and improving your quality of life. Say goodbye to overwhelm and hello to unstoppable success. Reserve your spot now! Free Webinar ----more----   Disclaimer: Please be aware that the opinions and perspectives conveyed in this podcast are solely those of our guests and do not necessarily represent the views, ideologies, or principles of Super Entrepreneurs Podcast, its associated entities, or any organizations they represent or are affiliated with. We provide a platform for discussion and exploration, and the content of each episode is understood to be independent expressions from our guests, rather than a reflection of the beliefs held by the podcast or its hosts.

Federal Workers Compensation Coffee Break Podcast is about all things related to Federal Workers Compensation, FECA, OWCP, DOL & Longshore claim filing as an injured federal worker.  The podcast is an educational and informative training on how to navigate the DOL -OWCP claims filing process for all types of injured US government and federal workers. The podcaster has 28 years in assisting with federal workers compensation as a consultant and trainer. The podcast is free and is educational. If you need help with anything related to a federal workers compensation claim...help is just a cup of coffee away.                                                                 FECA Bulletin 23-03         OWCP expands period for submitting evidence in initial claims to 60 daysThe Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)  law has some legislated changes that affect OWCP & DOL. Under Section 5305(c) of the Act, effective March 7, 2023, injured federal workers covered by the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) will now have 60 days to supply evidence in support of an initial claim. Specifically, the legislation directed the secretary of labor to  amend the Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA) regulations at 20 CFR 10.121 to increase the minimum time to submit supporting documentation on an initial claim from 30 to 60 days, and 2) modify the FECA procedure manual to do the same. OWCP has explained the revised regulations and changes in FECA Bulletin 23-03 that it issued on Jan. 9 of this year. The FECA Bulletin basically says “Claimants should be aware that the expanded 60-day time frame applies only to the initial adjudication of a claim.”The Department of Labor published a final rule in the Federal Register which became effective on March 7, 2023) amending 20 CFR 10.121 to read:If the claimant submits factual evidence, medical evidence, or both, but OWCP determines that this evidence is not sufficient to meet the burden of proof, OWCP will inform the claimant of the additional evidence needed. You the claimant will be allowed at least 60 days to submit the evidence required. Dr. Taylor's educational podcast utilizes his experience and history as a DOL - OWCP provider and his years of consulting and teaching all things federal workers compensation related. This is an educational short form format for learning how to successfully file federal workers compensation claims. Dr. Taylor's contact information for more information or assistance is:https://fedcompconsultants@protonmail.comIf you need a provider or assistance with a DOL claim in Tampa Florida or in Oklahoma you can make an appointment to see him and the other providers at the clinic at 813-877-6900  in Florida or ELLIS CLINIC at 844-625-5300 in Oklahoma City in Oklahoma. https://ellisclinic.com/

The April employment report was published yesterday, and it showed that average earnings are still well above where the Bank of England needs to be to see inflation fall back close to its target of 2%. The headline figure, excluding bonuses, grew year-on-year to 6.7%, up from 6.6% a month earlier. The data shows that the economy is at something of an inflection point, with momentum beginning to turn, but that will likely come too late for the next Monetary Policy Committee Meeting. The data has remained in the same “ballpark” for a few months now and this will concern the Central Bank since it is a sure sign that inflation is becoming imbedded in the economy. The peak in wages may be close should the unemployment rate, which unexpectedly rose to 3.9% from 3.8% last month, continue to creep higher. Workers tend to become more satisfied with their lot as they become aware that new jobs are becoming scarcer. Beyond Currency Market Commentary: Aims to provide deep insights into the political and economic events worldwide that can cause currencies to change and how this can affect your FX Exposure.

About 30,000 claimants will be paid $132.7m from the Commonwealth over historic contamination of regional towns 

The lawyers for Jane Doe have accused the estate for Epstein of stonewalling their attempts to get crucial documentation and are attempting to force their hand.(commercial at 16:55)To contact me:Bobbycapucci@protonmail.comSource:https://abcnews.go.com/US/victims-attorney-accuses-epstein-estate-attempts-stonewall-lawsuit/story?id=71830202

The Government has started offering rapid payments to historical abuse-in-care claimants.  The payments are for those who are seriously ill, who are aged over 70 or who have waited the longest to get their claims considered.  Survivors who don't meet the fast track criteria will have to wait until the government's new redress programme is up and running.  However, it is not yet clear when that will be.   Auckland University expert in redress and reparation Stephen Winter spoke to Corin Dann.  

INTRODUCTION: Spencer Bishins has a master's degree from the London School of Economics, and a law degree from Florida State University. Working for SSA for more than 10 years, he drafted or reviewed thousands of disability decisions. After leaving SSA, he wanted to help demystify the complicated disability system. His first book, Social Security Disability Revealed: Why it's so hard to access benefits and what you can do about it, explores the obstacles that disability claimants face as they try to access benefits. INCLUDED IN THIS EPISODE (But not limited to): ·      SSA System Demystified ·      Veteran's Concerns ·      The Impact On The LGBTQIA+ Community·      Are Drugs & Alcohol A Factor?·      SSI Vs. SSDI·      Medicaid & State Level Implications·      Acceptable Income Levels·      The Way Claims Are Handled ·      Treatment Record Hassles·      HIV Rules ·      How Approvals & Denials Are Decided·      The Impact Of Politics·      Interesting Info On The Kinds Of Judges That Decide Cases CONNECT WITH SPENCER: Website: https://www.bishinspublishing.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/BishinsPublishingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bishinspublishing/Twitter: https://twitter.com/bishinspub  CONNECT WITH DE'VANNON: Website: https://www.SexDrugsAndJesus.comWebsite: https://www.DownUnderApparel.comYouTube: https://bit.ly/3daTqCMFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/SexDrugsAndJesus/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sexdrugsandjesuspodcast/Twitter: https://twitter.com/TabooTopixLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devannonPinterest: https://www.pinterest.es/SexDrugsAndJesus/_saved/Email: DeVannon@SexDrugsAndJesus.com  DE'VANNON'S RECOMMENDATIONS: ·      Pray Away Documentary (NETFLIX)o  https://www.netflix.com/title/81040370o  TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk_CqGVfxEs ·      OverviewBible (Jeffrey Kranz)o  https://overviewbible.como  https://www.youtube.com/c/OverviewBible ·      Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed (Documentary)o  https://press.discoveryplus.com/lifestyle/discovery-announces-key-participants-featured-in-upcoming-expose-of-the-hillsong-church-controversy-hillsong-a-megachurch-exposed/ ·      Leaving Hillsong Podcast With Tanya Levino  https://leavinghillsong.podbean.com  ·      Upwork: https://www.upwork.com·      FreeUp: https://freeup.net VETERAN'S SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS ·      Disabled American Veterans (DAV): https://www.dav.org·      American Legion: https://www.legion.org ·      What The World Needs Now (Dionne Warwick): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfHAs9cdTqg  INTERESTED IN PODCASTING OR BEING A GUEST?: ·      PodMatch is awesome! This application streamlines the process of finding guests for your show and also helps you find shows to be a guest on. The PodMatch Community is a part of this and that is where you can ask questions and get help from an entire network of people so that you save both money and time on your podcasting journey.https://podmatch.com/signup/devannon  TRANSCRIPT:Spencer Bishins[00:00:00]You're listening to the sex drugs and Jesus podcast, where we discuss whatever the fuck we want to! And yes, we can put sex and drugs and Jesus all in the same bed and still be all right at the end of the day. My name is De'Vannon and I'll be interviewing guests from every corner of this world as we dig into topics that are too risqué for the morning show, as we strive to help you understand what's really going on in your life.There is nothing off the table and we've got a lot to talk about. So let's dive right into this episode.De'Vannon: Spencer Bishins is the author of the Eyeopening book Social Security Disability Revealed why it's so hard to access benefits and what you can do about it baby. Now in this episode, we're peeling back the pages to give you an inside look at what really goes on inside the Social Security Administration.And as you can guess, it's lots of Tom Foolery lies honey scandals in every [00:01:00] imaginary type of deception. Listen close, learn some new shit. Share this with a bitch, you know, and reach out to me and let me know what bothered you the most about what you found out about the Social Security Administration.Hello, are you beautiful and special people out there? And welcome back to the Sex Drugs in Jesus podcast. My name is Hubert and I'm your house. And I have with me the mentally stimulating, mind opening, feeling spilling. Spencer Bishops and he is an author and he has come to help us out a lot today.Spencer, how are. Spencer: I'm good. How are you? I am De'Vannon: fan fucking, Spencer: and I, I, I have to say that is the most unique intro I've had so far. No one has given me that exact same intro yet, , [00:02:00]De'Vannon: god damn it. And they never fucking will unless they steal my shit. So, I mean, that's bowing to happen. So so Spencer, he, he wrote a book, it's called Social Security Disability Revealed.Oh, there it is. Beautiful. Why it's so hard to access then to fits and what you can do about it. So, Spencer Bishop, he has a master's degree from the London School of Economics and a law degree from Florida State University. Go FSU now. He worked for the Social Security Administration for more than 10 years.Then he pieced out from them motherfuckers because he wanted to demystify the complicated disability system. This book here, Gonna help you overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of you getting your damn money. Especially after we work, they take all goddamn damn money outta our check and then when we want it, they don't wanna give it back.Ain't that some shit? [00:03:00] Fucking Spencer: bitches. You don't even need me. That's just summarize the whole book right there, . Yeah. So. De'Vannon: I'm gonna pull up the table of contents and read just a few of the chapters and then, I mean, read, read a few of the chapter titles just cause I found them to be interesting. And then, and then right after that, I'm gonna let you tell people why you wrote it and who you are, in your own words.But I thought, I just thought the, the table of contents would like, kind of spill some of the t. So some of the chapter titles from this book are called like after the hearing the Appeals Process, permanent Mental Health Conditions, drug Abuse and Alcoholism, child claimants, deceased Claimants and Widow Claimants Firing Your Representative, and fraud, waste and Abuse.You know, this, this book has 34 chapters in it. So during this podcast show here, and I don't know, we might have to have you back on for a second [00:04:00] time, but be it once or twice, we won't be able to cover all this. So, Y'all wanna get your money, gonna have to get this booked here. So we're thankful that you, after having worked there, gave us this testimony.Now tell us why you did this in your own words and who you are.Spencer: Before I do that, I just wanna say, I promise what's in those chapters is far more interesting than the titles themselves. I wanted to do some more like catchy chapter titles and my editor suggested, no, just tell people what's in the chapters.Don't get too fancy with the chapter titles themselves, but the actual content is far more interesting. So I worked for Social Security for 11 years. During the first four years, I reviewed thousands of cases on appeal decisions that had already been written. And then I went before, as you say, before I pieced out.I spent another seven years at the hearing level actually writing decisions for [00:05:00] administrative law judges. So, and I wrote almost 2000 decisions. So with a sample size that large, as you can imagine, I learned a lot about who gets paid, who doesn't, how judges make the decisions that they make, what techniques they use to deny cases, even when there's really good evidence suggesting someone is disabled.And as you said in the intro, everyone who has paid into the system, that's your. If you work, if you've paid the social security tax, whether you're an employee or have been an employee, or are, or have been self-employed, either way you've paid the social security tax. Mm-hmm. , and that's why it's called an entitlement because you are entitled to get money if you qualify.But I learned a lot of the ways that Social Security and its judges look at people and medical records that should qualify for benefits and figure out ways to deny those [00:06:00] claims. And so I wanted to present the information that I had learned about what the Social Security disability process is. Cause it, it, you know, it's the government and it's, it's social security.It's like two things that if you are not sleeping well, you know, just think about those right. And it'll be your cure for insomnia. And so most Americans don't want to think about boring things like the government or social security or government benefits until you actually need them. If you get hurt, injured, have some sort of chronic condition or something, all of a sudden it ain't so boring anymore, right?Then you realize, wow, this is something that I actually need. I really need to know how to work this system. I need to know how to play the government game, and so that I can give myself a decent chance of actually getting these benefits that I've paid for. Mm-hmm. , De'Vannon: show us the [00:07:00] money. We need our money. So how many people do you think are on disability right about now, and about how many applications do you think come in a year?Spencer: So it wasn't long ago that it was like 2 million applications a year. I think now it's somewhere between around 1 million applications a year. I don't know if we're still above that number or not. And somewhere around nine or 10 million Americans are on are receiving disability benefits. And for social security overall, I think it's like 40 million.It's a lot because that baby boomer generation is in the retirement zone and in like another 10 years as they've died out. I mean it sounds heartless, but that's just statistics and math and reality. Right. At the point where they've died out, the number of overall recipients will probably come down, but the number of disability recipients probably hold pretty steady over time.Okay, De'Vannon: [00:08:00] so, so somebody, it's a, it is a state benefit as I understand it, or is it federal? Spencer: No, it's a federal benefit. When you apply, the first place your application goes is to your state agency and someone at the State Department of Health is responsible for making that initial decision. But if you're approved, it comes out of the federal pot of money, either the Social Security Trust fund for Social Security Disability Insurance, or for supplemental security income, which is a different program.It just comes right out of that plot of general revenues in federal income tax that we all pay. But, but it's federal both ways. So at the initial level and at the reconsideration level, which is the second, second step of the process, it's a state employee making the decision, but still as to whether or not you can get federal money.Okay. So, but, but as I [00:09:00] talk about in the book, Their decisions can impact the state budget too, which is why they're not neutral decision makers. They're not disinterested parties. There's a conflict of interest because if they approve you at the, if that state employee approves you for ssi, you can then get the Medicaid.And Medicaid is a federal state partnership, right? So it's a state employee deciding whether or not you should be approved for ssi, but knowing if they approve you, it's gonna cost the state money from their Medicaid program. So what would you do if you were that state employee and you could potentially cost the state lots of money and your boss has told you, stop costing our state.It's a conflict of interest, isn't De'Vannon: it? Yeah. They do shit like that. That's why I don't work for anyone anymore because bosses are bitches. So you mentioned ssdi. I, so what is the difference between SS I versus [00:10:00]S S D Spencer: I? Yeah, so, and I, and I cover this more in depth in part one of the book. But SSDI is, so I think it, you used to work for someone then, right?Were you ever an employee, W2 employee and you got a pay stub? Yeah. Most of us have done that at some point. Right? On that pay stub, you see three federal taxes coming outta your paycheck every two weeks. Federal income tax. But then there's also the social security and Medicare tax, that social security.Goes to pay for the Social Security Trust fund. And normally we think of that as retirement. I got something I get when I'm an old bart. Right? Don't have to worry about that now. But that also pays for the disability program, which think of that like as your retirement benefits, but sooner if you become disabled and unable to work.So that tax pays for both of those programs, which are kind of really the same [00:11:00] program. That's ssdi Social Security Disability Insurance, that tax you pay. Think of that like an insurance premium that you're paying. And then you have this insurance coverage and you have to have that insurance coverage in order to file an insurance claim.So it operates like an insurance company in that regard. Separate from that is supplemental security income. And that program is really for people who either, who don't have that. Insurance that I just talked about, because they haven't paid enough into the social security system to earn enough credits.So that could be stay at home parents, it could be young workers who haven't paid in long enough. It could be recent immigrants, it could be older people who are retired and haven't worked in the last five years, and so their insurance ran out. So for whatever reason, maybe you just can't get that S S D I insurance.Well, you can go file a claim for [00:12:00] ssi and as I said, that comes out of just regular income taxes. But because that's not an earned benefit, you didn't pay that insurance premium. It's a lot more unstable of a program. First, there's asset and income limitations, so if you have even a little bit of money or you're earning even a little bit of money, you're not gonna qualify.And even if you get approved, it's like 800 bucks a month. And if you work part-time, they'll offset that 800 bucks a month. And as I talk in the book, they'll even offset it for other things. Like let's say you're homeless, so you're crashing on someone's couch. Social Security will say, well, you're getting air quotes pre-read, and they'll deduct whatever they think the value of that is from your ssi.So that SSI program, it's there. And for some people it's all they can get, but it's really not a very good or very useful program. [00:13:00] So the SS D I program is much better. It's an earned benefit. And with that you can get Medicare coverage if you're disabled, which helps with healthcare. If you're not working, you don't have private health insurance.Right. And the other great thing about the S S D I program, the insurance program is that you can actually work. And still get paid benefits at the same time. And that's totally allowed. And the reason Social Security allows that is they want people to try and go back to work. So they let you collect your benefits while you're getting back into the workforce and making sure you can do it.Oh, De'Vannon: that's so sweet of them. I Spencer: know, right? Yeah. But people get confused cuz they're like, my neighbor's disabled and I saw him out pushing a lawnmower and they think like people are gaming the system by working while collecting disability. But that's just a misunderstanding of the system. System actually wants you to go out and try and work [00:14:00] to see if you can do it.And then if you do that long enough, then you graduate from the S S D I program. And they stop your benefits and you return to the workforce. So it's actually a good thing that we let people collect benefits and work because otherwise nobody would go back to work. Right. And that's what we want. We want people who can go back to work.To go back to work if possible. De'Vannon: So if somebody's working in collecting those benefits, is there like a maximum amount of income they can work? I mean can bring in in order for that to Spencer: happen? You read the book didn't you? ? I can tell. Cause that's an excellent question. And you know the answer is yes, there isSo there's a maximum amount of money that you can be earning per month when you're an applicant and a separate number. That's a maximum that you can earn after you're already receiving S S D I benefits. And that amount is lower. And the thing is, if you work and [00:15:00] earn under that amount, You can just keep working indefinitely as long as Social Security keeps paying you your benefits.If you exceed that amount, that's fine, but you only get to exceed that amount for nine months. At the point where you've exceeded that amount for nine months, social Security decides that's what, how they decide that you can go back to work. And so that amount changes every year. But I believe it's $970 this year in 2022.So if you are getting benefits, you're allowed to work. But if you exceed $970 per month, it actually isn't a lot to think about it, right? Like if you're making 50 bucks an hour, it's 20 hours a month or five hours a week. So it doesn't take a lot to show that you can go back to work, but that's what social Security wants to see.They don't need to see that you're working 60 hours a week. They just need to see enough to know that they can cut you loose. [00:16:00] And that you'll be okay on your own. Mm-hmm. and, and that number is a little higher when you're an applicant. It's $1,350 per month that you can work and earn and still claim, Ben still file an application for benefits because that amount indicates that even though you can work, you're probably not doing full-time work.If you exceed that amount, social Security decides that's, that means you can probably show that you can do full-time work and you're not disabled. Mm-hmm. . De'Vannon: So why thank you for that breakdown. Why, why or so many people not at the beginning of the process? Well, we talked about Spencer: one reason already, right?Which is that when you go to the state agency, you, when you first file your application, someone at your state government, usually it's the State Department of Health. Some like $40,000 a year bureaucrat is gonna look at your disability claim and basically like, Make a decision on your life. They'll look [00:17:00] at your medical records and your work history and they'll make a decision as to whether you're disabled.But as I talked about a few minutes ago, they're a state employee and they work for people who wanna keep the state Medicare costs down. So one reason is there's a conflict of interest and they just wanna save the state money. But another reason is, I mean, just think about your own medical records, like they're probably, you probably, if you went to try and get all your medical records for the last couple of years today, you'd have a hard time doing it.And if you have physical impairments, that mean you can't leave your home. So when your doctor says, just come pick 'em up at our office, maybe that's hard to do. Or if you have mental health impairments, Agoraphobia or anxiety, depression, you can't deal with other people. It might be hard to talk to people in, in your doctor's offices.I, not too long ago, a doctor literally told me, we'll [00:18:00] fax you the records. What's your fax number? Like it was 1987. So it's often just really hard for people to get their medical records, to get them organized, to make sure they're complete, to get records from all the different places they've been getting treatment.So I guess they even back up from that. The first thing is sometimes it's hard for people to just get medical treatment. In the United States, 80% of people get their health insurance from work. So if you can't work, cause that's why you're filing a disability claim, right? You can't work, you lose your health insurance, well then you can't go get medical treatment.So the first obstacle is, I can't even get treatment. So how am I supposed to get records? Even if you can get treatment, it's sometimes hard to literally get the actual pieces of paper from your doctor. And then you've gotta get it all organized and give us a social security. You've also gotta fill out their application, their other endless paperwork, like functional reports rely on them probably losing [00:19:00] something along the way and making you fill it out again.Or like, oh, sorry, we lost some of your medical records. Can you like go get those a second time for us? Thank you. It's just barrier after barrier after barrier. The social security puts in your way, a lot of it with very specific intent to keep you from getting through the process and getting a favorable decision on your claim.They know it's hard for Americans without a job and insurance to get treatment. They know it's hard for Americans to gather medical records. Our medical record keeping system in the United States is. In France, everyone has a card. It's kinda like your driver's license and it's like it's got a barcode on it and that card you can take to any medical facility in the entire country and they scan it and they can immediately pull up your entire medical history.In the UK they have something similar with their National health Service and [00:20:00] during the pandemic, within one week, they knew every single British citizen who was a high risk for Covid and they were able to deliver food boxes to those people's homes because they knew where they lived and they did it within one week because they had that information.It was well organized. They knew exactly where to find it, and they knew how to keep people safe. And in the United States, we still have doctors saying, we'll fax you your records. It's ridiculous. But Social Security knows that this is happening. So they know that the records that they're gonna get when you first file your application are gonna be kind of a mess.So is it any surprise that they're denying over 70% of people at that initial application? Somewhere along the line, someone gets tripped up. They don't fill out a form, right? They don't get certain medical records in they can complete, they miss a meeting with someone with the Social Security Office.They can't [00:21:00] go see. Social Security will send you to see this doctor that they basically pay to give you an opinion that you're not disabled. They literally tell you you have to go see a doctor. And we're paying that doctor, and those doctors know to send Social Security and opinion saying that you can work.Otherwise they're not gonna keep getting referrals. And so if you cooperate, you'll probably get an opinion saying you can work. And if you don't cooperate, social says, security says you're not cooperating. So like at some point, one of everything that I've just said will trip up most people and that's why most claims get denied at the initial level.I do know someone who got approved at the initial level, but he was like, he was in the hospital for several months and like, you know, you can imagine how many thousands of pages of medical records that was and they all came from one source. That's the kind of case that social security probably [00:22:00] approves at the initial level, but that's a very rare situ.De'Vannon: Mm. Well y'all of, y'all wanna find out how to circumnavigate that sort of issue. You better grab a copy of this book now. Talk to me about any kind of implications related to, hum. Human immuno efficiency virus, hiv. Spencer: Yeah, so Social Security has a listing for, I it's in the immune disorders section and let's see if I can get it right.I think it's listing 14.08. I haven't been with Social Security in a year, so we'll see if how close I came to that. But the thing is, the social Security listing requirements, they're really strict. And so while every. I was wrong. It's 1407, so I was close though. And [00:23:00] the requirements are super strict for every impairment listing and HIV is no exception.So if you meet the requirements, you can be found disabled without social security considering your work history or whether you could work. That's to talk about in section two of the book, how that's just a medical determination. But you have to have not only the infection diagnosed, but you have to have something else that is either resistant to treatment or requires hospitalization.And that has to happen three or more times in a 12 month period. And there's a list of what these other diagnoses have to be, or you have to have something else for a full 12 month period. Or you have to have repeated manifest manifestations of your disorder. At least two. So there's so many requirements is my point.And that's the case with all the social security [00:24:00] listings. It's not just like an HIV diagnosis. It'll say, you know, an HIV diagnosis with this, this, this, this, and this. And the last thing will have like three elements under that. And that's only like the most severe case is end up meeting these listings.And so for most people, the way that they're found disabled is based on their functioning. So if you don't meet this very specific list of requirements, what social security does is they say, okay, you didn't, you're not disabled medically, but how does your impairment now impact your functioning? What are your functional limitations?And is there a job you can do in the national economy? And so I think with I probably a lot of it is fatigue. And, and there and there may also be difficulty standing and walking or lifting because of fatigue. Do I have that right? As far as like, those are kind of typical functional [00:25:00] limitations someone might have.De'Vannon: I don't really feel like there's like a limit to limitations with someone with HIV man because hiv. Lowers, you know, the immune system and it depends on that person's body. Spencer: That's a great point. Yeah. So you could have gastrointestinal issues, you could have breathing issues, and then of course, it's really common when people have any kind of physical impairments.It's really, really, really common to then have mental health impairments as well. Actually, I, I would say most cases that I saw that had anxiety, depression, PTSD, listed as impairments, they were secondary to some sort of physical condition, be it musculoskeletal or respiratory or an immune system disorder, like hiv.And so, yeah, when you take into account all of this person's impairments and all the ways that it impacts the mind and body, what happens is social security [00:26:00] comes up with a list of functional limitations and then they go to a, a vocational expert, a jobs expert, and they say, Here's a hypothetical person with a bunch of limitations.Are there any jobs in the national economy that person can do? And as I talk about in the book, the thing is when they ask that question, when the judge asks that question, they already know the answer. And here's, I'll give you an example. If I say, I have a hypothetical person who can only work six hours of an eight hour workday, are there any full time eight hour jobs that person can do?We already know the answer is no. Right? Cause the person can only work six hours out of an eight hour workday. So there are certain limitations that SSA judges and attorneys, there are certain limitations that they know will result in a finding of disability. And certain limitations that they know will not result in a finding of disability because there are jobs out there that someone can do with [00:27:00] those limitations.So that's where it becomes a really. Personalized review of your situation where the judge and the attorney looking at the case, have to look at your very specific medical records. Look at what you're telling doctors, look at your overall functioning, look at your attempts at work and see if you couldn't work, why you couldn't work, and try and figure out for this one specific person what that specific person's individualized limitations are based on their personal medical situation.Because as you said, something like HIV and other impairments as well impact people on such an individualized basis at that point. It really, it is about getting into the fine details of that person's medical record to understand what it is that person can or could not do on a 40 hour per week basis.[00:28:00]I'm De'Vannon: gonna get a little bit ahead of myself here since you're, since we're talking about the individualization of it all. Before we had, before, before this recording here, we had talked about a remand rate, a remanding, and you were telling me how not necessarily each and every last review is individualized.Yeah. So can you talk to us about that? Cause I don't want people thinking that they're necessarily going to get special attention, . Spencer: Well, it's, the thing is, it's kind of a mix because the judge who's deciding the case and the attorney who's their staff attorney, who's actually writing the decision, and that was my job, to write the actual decisions for the judges.They do look at every individual's medical records and they do conduct an individualized review of every case at the same time. You are both an individual person but also a statistic because while you're being looked at as an individual case, [00:29:00] that judge has 50 cases that they're doing every month, which means they're doing about 600 case, five to 600 cases a year.And then that hearing office is doing a few thousand cases a year. And then your region is doing 10,000 cases a year or 20,000 cases a year. And then that means nationally it's, you know, over a hundred thousand cases a year. And at each level of the process, you have people looking at the big picture.What is our pay rate? How many cases are we paying? How many are we denying? Is that pay rate too high? Are we getting too much pressure for members of Congress? Cause we're paying too many cases. Maybe we need to bring down the number of cases we're paying. And then if that happens, that filters all the way down to your individual judge who starts thinking.Maybe I'm paying too many cases, maybe out of my 600 cases this year, instead of paying 200, maybe I should pay 1 75 or one 50. And so now they're thinking about which cases [00:30:00] that they may have paid. Now they're gonna deny instead. And that's where you become both the statistic at an individualized person.Because yeah, they're looking at your individualized situation, but they're sitting there thinking, headquarters is telling us to pay fewer cases this year. Maybe this is one that I should be denying. Maybe a week ago I would've paid it. And maybe today, after getting that email from headquarters, maybe today, I think about denying this case.And so it's both and every case is both. You're constantly being evaluated as an individual and a statistic. And that can be really hard on the person writing the decision because. My job was to write the decision the judge wanted. So I don't actually get to decide whether the person's disabled or not.I just have to justify whatever their decision is. And so I would often see cases that I thought there was [00:31:00] really good evidence to approve the person, solid evidence, showing their diagnoses. Say it's something like hiv. I saw a lot of HIV cases. I see their diagnosis. I see their, their test results with cdr CD four, sorry, CD four levels over 200.And I see white count levels that were, were low. And I see other limitations. Difficulty walking long distances. Or someone would say, you know, I tried to go back to work and I just got too tired and I had to quit that job after a week. And the judge would be telling me, we're denying this case. I'd be like, why this?This is really good evidence for I making an individualized analysis saying, I think this is good evidence. I think we should approve this. But then that judge has these external factors that they're thinking about that [00:32:00] in addition to looking at you as an individual, they're also thinking about this case as a statistic.And sometimes when those things, you know, come into conflict, sometimes I then have to write a decision that I don't wanna write or that I don't think the evidence. De'Vannon: Well, I'm so happy you have a soul. You know, I, I know not everybody in the Social Security Administration does, but and you have filled that soul out onto these pages, so I appreciate the, the love that I feel reverberating from you, man.Now there is this book, cuz this little book called The dsm and y'all, that stands with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. And I think now we're on like the DSM five, it's gone through a few changes over the years. Yeah. So there's a word in there called gender dysphoria. Spencer, and I don't care for that word, dysphoria.However, [00:33:00] that is what is in that book. And so talk to me about what that means and then what it means for dis for the, for these disability claims. Spencer: Yeah. It doesn't mean much. Well, we'll just boil it down to that. So, after the revisions to the DSM happened in 2013 We did start to see diagnoses of gender dysphoria.Andhere's the thing, I'm not a doctor, I'm not a medical professional. The medical training that the lawyers at Social Security who make the legal decisions, the medical training they're given isn't how to look at a person and make a decision. It's really more how to read medical records. Cause that's what we need to do.We need to read medical records and know how to find, know how that evidence translates into the legal aspects of disability. Right? And so if I'm reading a psychologist or psychiatrist's [00:34:00]report and I see a diagnosis of gender dysphoria, I'm not making a decision on whether or not that's accurate. Cause I don't have medical training.All I know is, okay, this one individual medical. Offered that diagnosis. And so what happens then is if the judge, the, the, the definition of a medical impairment for social security is any medical condition that causes even the most minimal impact on any kind of functioning. And so if you were diagnosed with gender, if a person is diagnosed with gender dysphoria and there's even like the slightest amount of a lack of functioning in some kind of area, so like a lack of concentration or I have difficulty getting along with other people because they don't understand my, my choices or my body or what's happening with me, [00:35:00] that's enough.And so the good thing is judges are, they're not rejecting that completely. The judges will di will take that diagnosis of gender dysphoria. And they'll put it in the decision and they'll call that a medically determinable impairment. The problem is having a medical impairment isn't enough because what we talked about is you ha then have to have work related limitations in order to find someone disabled.And there, I, I just, I had my experience from working with the agency and through mid 2021 judges, in my experience, were just not able to find much in the way of specific work related limitations due to that diagnosis. And maybe that's actually a good thing. Maybe that's kind of progressive in saying like, we don't, we, we understand that this diagnosis is there, but like whatever gender you identify with doesn't impact your ability to [00:36:00] do a job.So on the one hand, if it's, if someone's really struggling with that and they're having anxiety or depression, Or PTSD or personality disorder or suicidal ideations, that could be a separate diagnosis alongside gender dysphoria and that could have work related limitations. But my experience is the gender dysphoria itself doesn't really result in, in and of itself work related limitations.And so that's really not gonna be a basis for finding someone disabled and unable to work. De'Vannon: I hope. I hope not. And because people should be able to identify sexually as they want, be non-binary, whatever the case may be, without any sort of negative implications. Spencer: Yeah. And can I say, can I say one other thing?I also saw a lot of medical reports where the person [00:37:00] identified as a member of the LGBTQ community and there was no diagnosis of gender dysphoria. And that was probably a more. Maybe a younger doctor or more progressive doctor who is like, I I the pa, there's nothing wrong with the patient. They're telling me they're lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual.It's not a diagnosis. And so I'm just gonna focus on their anxiety or depression or these other things they're telling me about. I don't need to focus on how they identify. That's not a diagnosis. In the same way that if someone is a cis I'm not gonna diagnose them with something either. So I saw a lot of medical reports where the medical professional, it just, it didn't matter.It wasn't a thing. It wasn't important. It wasn't, they were what they were focusing on in their medical evaluation. And then other doctors who I could tell just by the [00:38:00] language that they were using were probably baby boomer generation, and maybe they just didn't understand that 25 year old who was coming in and, and talking to them.De'Vannon: Right. And then, and then you, you mentioned that you wrote the decision. The judge, judge did not write the decision, so I wanna be sure that, that, that we're super clear on on that. So the judges don't actually write the decisions. What, what was your exact job title again? Tell us so that we can know. Sure.Spencer: So my job title is Attorney Advisor, and here's the way it works. Social Security is a massive system with over a million applications a year. Several hundred thousand cases are going to the hearing level. There's about a thousand judges Nation. Several thousand other support staff and they're seeing several hundred thousand cases.The numbers are absolutely massive and that means you really need an assembly line in order to keep things moving efficiently. [00:39:00] Cause as it is, people have to wait like a year to get a hearing with a judge. So if you're waiting that long and you're thinking like, why is it taking so long? That's ridiculous.It's just because of the enormous scope of the system. So the judges are doing about 50 hearings per month, so that's about 12 hearings per week. So in a 40 hour week, they're doing about 12 cases. So that's like three to four hours per case. And during that three to four hours, they're doing a, a pre-hearing review of all your records so that when you come into your hearing, they know what's going on with you.They have some idea of your medical history and your work history before they even see you. Then they're doing about a one hour hearing, and then they may have to look at some evidence again after your hearing. And then they write this list of instructions and agency shorthand and I talk about this process in the book, they write this list of instructions and they give it to an attorney, [00:40:00] staff, attorney like me, and then the attorney takes 4, 8, 10, 12 hours to actually write the decision.That's where we're looking at every single one of your medical reports, looking at all the doctors you saw, any medical opinions that are in there from your medical sources, thoroughly, completely evaluating all of that in complete sentences so that, you know, we looked at everything and then that decision gets handed back to the judge, and most of them honestly just sign it.They don't even read it, they don't edit it. They just. They've already spent three and a half hours on the case. They don't have time to do anything else, so they just sign it. Other judges will read through it, make some changes here and there, and tinker with it, and then sign it. But they're really spending very little time in the actual decision.Their job is to just big picture, like approve it or deny it. That's my decision. [00:41:00] My, my staff goes and, and breaks that decision down and, and does the full analysis, and then the judge signs it. So when you get it, it looks like Judge John Smith wrote the decision, you know, wrote this comprehensive 15 page decision.But in reality, they're just taking credit for someone else's work. De'Vannon: Okay, now let's talk about drugs, man. Drugs. Let's talk Spencer: about drugs. . De'Vannon: This is the sex drugs and Jesus podcast. So, you know, the marriage Iana is like super useful and shit. And so like, and, and then we have all these hallucinogenics starting to come up, you know, lsd, celly, masculine and all of that.What are the implications of that? Can since somebody having like medical treatment like that hurt their chances to get approved? Spencer: Yes and no. I was a government attorney, so I'm gonna give you the government answer. So there is a chapter in the book that com [00:42:00] thoroughly discusses how drugs and alcohol work.It. Chapter 26, it's called Drug Abuse and Alcoholism. I don't like those terms, by the way. Those terms come directly from a law passed by Congress in 1996, and that's the law that social security still uses. To decide if drugs or alcohol should be a factor in your case. And there's guidance from 2013 as to about how they apply that.But here's the basics. If you're using any kind of drugs or alcohol, and that's the what causes you to be disabled and unable to work. Social Security can deny you benefits, but if it's secondary, in other words, if they remove the drugs and alcohol from consideration and consider everything else, if you would still be found disabled, then they still find you disabled.So it really has to be the drugs or alcohol use that tips you over the line, right? That that puts you [00:43:00] from, maybe you had limitations, but you could still work full-time and you were not disabled. And then if you're using drugs or alcohol and now you're disabled, that's the point where Social Security says We're applying that law.We're finding that Congress says, if that's the reason that you can't work and you're disabled, then we're gonna find you not disabled. But it has some interesting implications because a lot of people do use drugs for, or alcohol, I guess not alcohol, but a lot of people use different substances for treatment.Right. And there's a lot of states where it's legal. I worked in the state of Washington where cannabis has been legal and you could walk into a store and buy it for eight years now, and the stores are everywhere. Anyone who's been to Washington or Colorado, I think they've got a lot now in California, knows that you just go into cannabis or you show your id, they scan your id and you can buy things to [00:44:00] smoke, chew.They have drinks, they have gummies they have like bath salts. Not bad baths, just like fizzies that you put in a bath to soak in for mu to like help your muscles relax. And so a lot of people use these to help reduce their symptoms so that they can try and go back to work. Luckily the judges do understand this and you have different judges, right?You have some judges that are on one end of the political spectrum and other judges that are more conservative and more hard, harder to deal with when it comes to drugs or alcohol. But even those judges understand that in certain states, cannabis is illegal and people can just go to sore and buy it, and that a lot of people are using it in order to try and improve their medical situation, not to make it worse.So my experience, the judges are actually really good at doing that analysis and [00:45:00] not just looking at what you're using, but why you're using it and how it impacts you. And some of it is self. People ask me like, well, how do they know you're using substances? Some of it is self-declared because they're gonna make you fill out function reports and that's all under penalty of perjury and they're gonna ask you if you are using any drugs or alcohol.And so if you lie, that's really, that's a bad thing. So most people will just declare it, and as I talk about in the book, it really is best to just be honest with Social security and just tell them if you've been using something and why? Because it's not that difficult for a qualified, knowledgeable social security representative to explain to the judge why you were using that substance and why that's not the reason you're disabled, that there's some other reason that you're disabled.That use of that substance was in some way a brand of [00:46:00] self-treatment. And in a lot of cases it is. . And then there are some cases where it's not, and you can tell that the person has a substance addiction and maybe that's their only impairment or their other impairments only surface when they're using substances.And and, and so that's, that's what that analysis is. It's trying to figure out what the core reason is for you being unable to work full time. De'Vannon: Okay. Thank you for that. And I wanna lean more into exactly what type of people these judges are. When we were, before getting ready for this interview, you were telling me, you know, these bitches make like 180 k a year.I don't remember if there's bonuses and stuff like that, but what, what was Spencer: the Probably, I don't know. I'm not a judge, but they probably have some kind of bonus. De'Vannon: But what was important to you? You told me that you said a lot of them were JAG officers and [00:47:00] and that stands for Judge Advocate General.These are people who were in the military, military officers. And so talk to me about the incompatibility, the incongruence the incongruency that you found in between how the health level and the age level of these judges versus the people who they're Spencer: judging. Yeah, so it's not everybody, but a lot of new newly hired judges, a lot of them are from the military because the whole federal government gives a, a preference, a hiring preference to veterans.I think it's the only group where when you're filling out an application for a federal job, your federal employment from the USA Jobs website, it's the only identified group that gets a hiring preference. And that's across the whole federal government. And so, of course, a job with social security, it's a federal agency, is no different.So there tend to be a lot of people who [00:48:00] were lawyers in the military or their lawyers and then maybe they were separately in the military and maybe they had another job in the military. But there are a lot of lawyers who have military service, either past service where they're veterans or maybe past plus current service where they're still in the reserves.And those people will apply to be ALJs, administrative law judges and social security. They'll hire people in their fifties, but they'd rather hire people in their forties so that they can train those people and then have those people working for them for 20 years instead of 10. So I noticed when I was working for Social Security, a lot of judges in their early to mid forties, a lot of judges with military service and if whatever branch of the military they're in, that means they're probably.Going to be fairly physically fit, probably they're not gonna have substantial health conditions because substantial health conditions usually keep you [00:49:00] out of the military. And so you get these young fit judges who like to get up at 5:00 AM who have multiple jobs because they might be judges, but they're also in the reserves and maybe they like, you know, go volunteer somewhere and they go to the gym for two hours a day.So they're physically fit, they're mentally fit, they're really active people. And then they have people coming in front of them who don't have a college degree, who have been working a really hard job where, you know, like construction work, working in a warehouse or nurses' assistants. Or like delivery people.I mean, sometimes we're at a gas station and we see like the pre, the people unloading drinks into the cooler and we don't think about how much they have to lift on a daily basis. Cause they're constantly lifting these [00:50:00] cases of beverages onto these carts. Mm-hmm. and people who have jobs like this, you know, where you're doing that 50 hours a week after 5, 10, 15 years, at some point you're either gonna have some kind of acute injury or your body's just gonna totally break down over time.And people come in and they're, they're in pain. Maybe that means they're on narcotic medications so they're not able to fully concentrate. They maybe have mental health impairments as well cause they can't work. So they're anxious and depressed. And these like, you know, super, the fittest people on the planet are standing up there.Sitting up there cuz they also have a sedentary sit down air conditioned job. Right. And they're literally passing judgment. Over people who have had a life that is totally different from theirs as far as education, upbringing, where they live, what kind of childhood they had, what kind of job training they've had, what kind of job opportunities they've [00:51:00] had, what kind of medical situations they're in, their lack of ability to get treatment.They have no health insurance. The judges have federal employee health plans. And so you get people, these judges who they're just, they're looking at people who they, a lot of times they can't identify with at all. And they're saying things like, well, I can work. Why can't that guy, I can't tell you how many times I heard that.When I would go and let's say the judge says it's the denial. And I look through the medical records and I go to the judge and I try and convince them that they should change that to an approval. Cause I can do that. The person writing the decision talks to the judge all the time. Talk through the evidence, talk about what they're seeing.Hey, maybe we should change this decision until it's signed. It's changeable. And I would go to talk to the judges all the time about like, look, there's this medical evidence and I, I think this guy has these opinions and I think that maybe we should consider paying this case. [00:52:00] And I would hear things like, well, I can work.Why can't he? Or, you know, I, I, I come to work, I, I I commute an hour a day each way that guy could do it. He's fine. And these aine statements that are detached from reality. And that's where I think the, the personalities and the upbringing and the medical situation of the judges comes into play. And I have observed that as judges get older, as they themselves experience certain medical conditions that come with age, like.Oh my, I threw out my back. I need to have back surgery. Or, you know, maybe now I, I, I hit 50, now I need glasses and I didn't use to before. Or something happens medically in their lives as they age. And you do, I, I would see that the judges start to get more sympathetic over time. They start to understand [00:53:00] pain, frustration, lack of mental acuity and they start to be able to sympathize more with the stories that they're being told and to say, yeah, you know, actually now I do believe this person, this person is 55 and, and they worked in a warehouse for 25 years and they threw their back out.And I can see on an MRI that their back is totally destroyed, and they're telling me they're in too much pain to work. I now have back pain myself. So now I get what they're saying. And so that does cause this disconnect between these like young fit judges who kind of come in swinging with denials and older, more seasoned judges who I think tend to be more sympathetic to people and have higher pay rates raise.Their pay rate tends to go up over time. De'Vannon: Okay. Okay. I'm gonna [00:54:00] ask you Spencer: So can I, can I just say one thing? Who your judge is, is something that you can't choose. You as I talk about in the book, there's certain things you can control and certain things you can't control and you can't control who your judge is.And the reason that's important is I wrote the book because I want people to understand. How to get through this process, regardless of who your judge is, regardless of how much of you know, how, how mu, how much difficulty the agency is gonna put you through everything that I've talked about so far.Let's assume you get every single one of these barriers put in your way. I want you to know what all of these barriers are so that you can navigate them. Even a low paying judge, that young fit military judge, maybe they're a 20% payer, but if they're paying 20% of their cases and they have five hearings today, that means statistically they're still gonna approve one of those five people today, right?And so I want you to [00:55:00] know how you can gather the right medical records and present the right case and h and have the right representative sitting with you and work together so that you can present to that judge a situation, a story. Where even the most hardcore, low paying fit military judge says, yeah, that's a pretty good presentation.I think we'll approve that one. I'll use my discretion to deny the next floor, but I don't feel like I have any discretion here. And that's what you wanna do, is you wanna take away that discretion. You wanna make those judges feel like There's nothing I can do about this. This is a solid case. I'm gonna approve this one, and I wanna give you the tools to be able to do that.And that's why I wrote the book. De'Vannon: So, so you mentioned it um, a 20% or so. Talk to us then about the like the approval rates and kind of like how these [00:56:00] judges are rated. And then I want you to tell that story about that one judge who they you know, I think they took like her telework away and they gave her like extra training or whatever.Spencer: Yeah, so the, there is, as we talked about earlier, you're not only a person, you're also a statistic, right? And so headquarters, cuz they're getting pressure for members of Congress and to testify, testify in front of congressional committees. And then that pressure just makes its way down the system to the individual judges.And so if the agency wants to pay fewer cases, if they're getting pressure, Hey, we're paying too many cases, let's pay fewer cases. And that pressure makes its way down to the judges. They're also pressured to pay fewer cases and they're, the judge will tell you, I'm an independent decision maker and I can make whatever decision I want and I'm not bound by any prior denials.And all of that is true and every judge has the authority to [00:57:00] approve any specific case. But they also are looking at the 50 cases for that month and thinking about how many. Do I wanna approve this month? Because I know if I approve too many, I might get hassled. And I knew a judge and I worked for a judge that had a fairly high pay rate and he kept getting hassled by, by his superiors, by the, the higher ups within the agency who basic, they didn't tell him you're paying too many cases because like they don't want that on the front page in the New York Times, right?But they would say things like, we think maybe you need extra training. Maybe you don't fully understand how our agency works. Maybe you don't fully understand the definition of disability, so we're gonna give you extra training. And they would like make him sit through hours and hours and hours of extra training that he didn't wanna do.That's annoying. And that's a pressure point, right? That's a way of [00:58:00] saying like, you know, we're gonna make you an offer. You can't refuse. You, you start denying more cases or there's gonna be consequences, but they don't use the word consequences. And yeah, as you said, I wrote for another judge and they took away her telework.People like working at home, we found that during the pandemic, right, and the judges can work from home, especially during the pandemic, when all the hearings, with telephone hearings, there's no reason why they can't work from home. And that my job, just writing and reviewing your medical records, which are all on the computer, we can all work from home.And so the pressure point for that judge, they knew she liked working from home. So that pressure point was, you do what we need you to do, where we're gonna take away your telework. And so while the judge tells you they're an independent decision maker, you have to understand that they're looking at your specific records, but they're also thinking about themselves.The judges are human. They're thinking about their, [00:59:00] their salary, their health insurance benefits. They don't wanna get fired. They also don't wanna get transferred. They don't wanna be hassled. And so, you know, they're public servants, but of course, even public servants are thinking about their own wellbeing and their own job and their own families.And so when that pressure comes down on them from above, they're gonna, they're gonna react to it and and a fairly reasonable way and in the way that the management wants them to. So that does also happen. I wrote a lot of favorable decisions when I worked for Social Security. I, I just wanna make sure as we get near the end here, and as we conclude, I want people to understand I did write a lot of favorable decisions.But I noticed certain things about those cases. I noticed how well those medical records were put together, how those medical opinions were worded, how those representatives that represented those people presented that case. And so I know with this large [01:00:00] sample size of cases, I have some idea of the things that work, even with low paying judges, the things that can work to get an approval and the things that don't work or the things that people don't do that they should do when they're presenting their case.And so, and that's, that's what really made me say, I need to write a book. I need to get all this knowledge that I have on paper and out to the general public. Because some of this isn't necessarily publicly known information, but it's not necessarily trade secrets either. Right? The law is a certain way and the law defines disability a certain way.And a lot of this is just education that social security doesn't provide you. They're not telling you how to present your disability case, but over time, I've seen the things that work. And so I wanted to present this educational guide to let people know, here are the things that you can do to [01:01:00] present your case in a way to give yourself the best possible chance of success.De'Vannon: And I think you've done quite well, you know, a very good job at doing that. Talk a little bit about like, especially for veterans, you know, since I'm a veteran, just to kind of like talk about that a little bit, you know.Spencer: So just we can cover that real quick. The, the way the VA decides if someone's disabled is different from Social Security because the VA is not only looking at whether your medical conditions are connected to your service, whereas social security doesn't care why your impairments occurred. They are.But the VA also then asks about whether what your fitness is to return to some kind of military duty. And so there are a lot of veterans that will get a hundred percent service connected rating because their impairments are connected to their service and they're found to not be able to return to whatever their military duty was.Asks, can you [01:02:00] do any job in the national economy? And so there are a lot of judges who will see a hundred percent service connected disability for a veteran and just say, okay, that's enough for me. I'm gonna find them disabled. But I wrote a lot of denials for people who at 80, 90, a hundred percent service connected ratings.And it's because even though they couldn't do military duty, they could do other work in the national economy like being a cashier and. There is somewhat of a disconnect between the definitions and the two systems, and that's why it's really important for veterans or military families to also understand how social securities rules operate.Because you can't assume that just because you're a veteran and that maybe your judge is a veteran, you can't assume that's gonna help you out. Actually, again, I wrote decisions for judges who are veterans who looked at a veteran claimant with a hundred percent rating and said, well, I'm a veteran and I can work, so why can't he [01:03:00] and denied those claims.So you have to know the system, you have to know the rules, and you have to know how things work within the Social Security disability system. You can't just assume because you're a veteran or because you have a hundred percent rating that things are gonna work out well for you when you get in front of the social security.De'Vannon: Okay, well there you have it. Y'all's website is visions publishing.com. The social medias of Facebook, Twitter, , Instagram. Of course, all of this is going to go in the show notes, as it always does. So as always with my guests, I'd like to let you have the last word. I thank you so much for your time today, Spencer.Are there any final closing remarks you'd like to say? Spencer: I just wanna say we, we've gone over like the first part of the subtitle today, right? A lot of why it's so hard to access benefits. But I just wanna conclude on a more positive note with the second half of the subtitle, which is what you can do about it.There are specific strategies, there are ways you can get around things. At the [01:04:00] beginning I talked about how Social security will send you to see this doctor who's being paid to say you're not disabled. Well, there are strategies that you can use to counter. That you have to go to that exam. But there are ways that you can get evidence to counteract that medical opinion that do work.There are things that you can present in your medical record or ways that you can testify at the hearing. There are strategies that you can use to try and convince even the lower paying judges that you're not disabled, that you can't work full-time, but they're not things that you would necessarily think.For example, people think like, oh, if I try and work part-time, that might hurt my disability claim. It actually helps your disability claim. So if someone's a disability claimant and you see them working, they might be working because they're representative has told them, this will help your disability claim.And I explain why that is in the book. So don't make assumptions and don't take anything. Social [01:05:00] Security tells you at face value. They're not there to help you. They're not on your side, they're not on your team. They're. They're really there. The Social Security disability system is trying to keep people out and trying to deny as many people as they can so that they can have those benefits for people who are collecting retirement later on.So be your own advocate. Get your own information, educate yourself, hire a good representative, and use the strategies that I'm teaching you about and they will. I can't guarantee you'll be approved, but I can say that these strategies are what you need to give yourself the best possible chance of being approved, even if you get a lower paying judge.De'Vannon: All right, there y'all have it. The name of the book is Social Security Disability Revealed, why it's so Hard to Access Benefits and What You Can Do about It. Thank you [01:06:00] so much, Spencer. Spencer: Thank you for having me.De'Vannon: Thank you all so much for taking time to listen to the Sex Drugs and Jesus podcast. It really means everything to me. Look, if you love the show, you can find more information and resources at SexDrugsAndJesus.com or wherever you listen to your podcast. Feel free to reach out to me directly at DeVannon@SexDrugsAndJesus.com and on Twitter and Facebook as well.My name is De'Vannon, and it's been wonderful being your host today. And just remember that everything is gonna be all right.  

In law, a joinder is the joining of two or more legal issues together. Procedurally, a joinder allows multiple issues to be heard in one hearing or trial and occurs if the issues or parties involved overlap sufficiently to make the process more efficient or fairer. That helps courts avoid hearing the same facts multiple times or seeing the same parties return to court separately for each of their legal disputes. The term is also used in the realm of contracts to describe the joining of new parties to an existing agreement. Criminal procedure. Joinder in criminal law refers to the inclusion of additional counts or additional defendants on an indictment. In English law, charges for any offense may be joined in the same indictment if those charges are founded on the same facts or form or are a part of a series of offenses of the same or a similar nature. A number of defendants may be joined in the same indictment even if no single count applies to all of them if the counts are sufficiently linked. The judge retains the option to order separate trials. Civil procedure. Joinder in civil law falls under two categories: joinder of claims and joinder of parties. Joinder of claims. Joinder of claims refers to bringing several legal claims against the same party together. In U.S. federal law, joinder of claims is governed by Rule 18 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. These rules allow claimants to consolidate all claims that they have against an individual who is already a party to the case. Claimants may bring new claims even if these new claims are not related to the claims already stated; for example, a plaintiff suing someone for breach of contract may also sue the same person for assault. The claims may be unrelated, but they may be joined if the plaintiff desires. Joinder of claims requires that the court have jurisdiction over the subject matter of each of the new claims, and that joinder of claims is never compulsory. A party who sues for breach of contract can bring his suit for assault at a later date if he chooses. However, if the claims are related to the same set of facts, the plaintiff may be barred from bringing claims later by the doctrine of res judicata, for example if a plaintiff sues for assault and the case is concluded, he may not later sue for battery regarding the same occurrence. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/law-school/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/law-school/support

We are so fortunate to have this thoughtful and evolving analysis of the NJ Supreme Court by Joe Fischetti, Esq. His day job is Assistant General Counsel with Valley Health System. Joe previously served as Law Clerk to Chief Justice Rabner. Joe's experience and keen insights into the operation of the NJ Supreme Court make him the perfect statistician. Here is a link to Joe' report "New Jersey Supreme Court, 2021-22 Term in Review."Joe was kind enough to stick around and break down an important case from the term - Crystal Point Condominium Association, Inc. v. Kinsale Insurance Co. - Claimants must submit to Arbitration, Direct Action Statute, insolvent policy holder and default judgments.

The Province intends to sever its contract to provide jail space for the Canada Border Services Agency. This comes after a months-long lobby campaign by a coalition of groups opposed to using jails to hold immigrants. We hear from Julie Chamagne, who is part of that coalition and executive director of the Halifax Refugee Clinic.

Hoaxes have been a part of the flying saucer/UFO mystery from its very beginning. Shortly after Kenneth Arnold's sighting report on June 24, 1947, people started coming forward with physical disks they claimed to have found in their yards, in fields, or to have actually seen flying through the air in flames and then crash. Claimants ranged from school children to professional adults, and there is even a report from a Catholic priest that received a good deal of press. The priest's case, as well as others of this sort ended up in FBI files. The disks that were displayed were obviously home made, sometimes quite crudely, but there was the possibility that these could be responsible for valid sightings reports by people who were truly mystified. Read more →

*) Fierce fighting in Ukraine's Donbass region President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the battle for the eastern Donbass will go down as one of the most brutal in European history. The region, comprising the provinces of Luhansk and Donetsk, is claimed by Russian separatists. Zelenskyy said "for us, the price of this battle is very high. It is just scary," adding, "we draw the attention of our partners daily to the fact that only a sufficient number of modern artillery for Ukraine will ensure our advantage." *) Sievierodonetsk under siege Russian forces have laid siege to the eastern city of Sievierodonetsk, destroying the last bridges into the industrial hub. The cities of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk have been targeted for weeks as the last areas in the eastern Donbass region of Luhansk still under Ukrainian control. Ukraine's forces had been pushed back from Sievierodonetsk's centre after a weeks-long Russian offensive, said regional governor Sergei Gaidai. *) Türkiye to start transferring gas from Black Sea in early 2023 Türkiye will start transferring 10 million cubic metres of natural gas daily from the Sakarya Gas Field in the Black Sea to the national transmission system in the first quarter of 2023, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said. First gas transmission is planned to be delivered through a 150-kilometre-long subsea pipeline that Türkiye will construct to run from the field to onshore where it will be connected to the national gas grid. Türkiye sees energy as "the key to regional cooperation, and not an area of tension and conflict," Erdogan said. *) UK to send first refugees to Rwanda The British government is preparing to send a first plane carrying failed asylum seekers to Rwanda despite legal bids and protests against the controversial policy. A chartered plane was to leave one of London's airports overnight and land in Kigali on Tuesday, campaigners said on Monday, after UK judges rejected an appeal against the deportations. Claimants had argued that a decision on the policy should have waited until a full hearing on the legality of the policy next month. And finally… *) Hollywood stars seek responsible on-screen gun depictions Hollywood stars including Amy Schumer, Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo have signed a letter, calling for movies and television shows to depict responsible gun ownership and to limit scenes involving children with firearms. The open letter penned in response to recent US mass shootings in Uvalde and Buffalo, was also signed by top producers J.J. Abrams ("Lost"), Shonda Rhimes ("Bridgerton") and Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy.

MLB – Major League Baseball Yesterday Detroit Tigers 3, Pittsburgh Pirates 1 Chicago Cubs at Baltimore Orioles, PPD Los Angeles Dodgers 4, Chicago White Sox 1 Tigers 3, Pirates 1 – Another strong start by Faedo propels Tigers by Pirates 3-1 Miguel Cabrera hit a go-ahead RBI single in the eighth inning and the Detroit Tigers completed a two-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 3-1 victory. Harold Castro led off the eighth with a single against Wil Crowe and Jonathan Schoop followed with a bloop single to shallow center. Cabrera stepped in and delivered a sharp single up the middle, scoring Castro from second as Reynolds’ throw home sailed well up the first-base line. Daz Cameron doubled and tripled while driving in two runs for Detroit. Alex Faedo went 5 innings, only allowing 1 run on three hits, while striking out 7. Pittsburgh rookie Jack Suwinski hit his seventh home run for the Pirates. Cubs at Orioles, PPD, Rain – Cubs-Orioles postponed by rain; makeup set for Aug. 18 The interleague game between the Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles was postponed by a relentless rain shower that started shortly before the scheduled start and never let up. Wednesday’s ill-fated finale of the two-game series will be made up Aug. 18, previously an off day for both teams. This was slated to be Chicago’s only visit to Baltimore in 2022, but now the Cubs will have to make a detour late this summer in an effort to earn a delayed split. The Cubs wrap a three-game set in Washington on Aug. 17, and the Orioles will be coming off a series in Toronto before hosting Boston on the 19th. Dodgers 4, White Sox 1 – Gonsolin, Smith, Bellinger lead Dodgers over White Sox 4-1 Tony Gonsolin improved to 7-0, tossing three-hit ball over six innings, and Will Smith and Cody Bellinger homered early to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 4-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox. Smith hit a two-run drive in the first inning, and Bellinger made it 3-0 when he connected leading off the second against Johnny Cueto. That was all Gonsolin needed. The 28-year-old right-hander struck out five and walked one while lowering his National League-best ERA to 1.58. The only run he allowed was when Jake Burger homered leading off the fifth. Cueto dropped his third straight start. The two-time All-Star went six innings, allowing three runs and four hits, and Chicago’s three-game win streak ended. Today L.A. Dodgers (Anderson 7-0) at Chicago White Sox (Cease 4-2), 2:10 p.m. Tigers and Cubs are off NBA – National Basketball Association – 2022 NBA Finals Last Night Boston Celtics 116, Golden State Warriors 100               (BOS Leads 2-1) Celtics 116, Warriors 100 – Celtics beat Warriors 116-100, take 2-1 lead in NBA Finals Jaylen Brown scored 27 points, Jayson Tatum added 26 and the Boston Celtics beat back another third-quarter onslaught by the Golden State Warriors in a 116-100 victory that gave them a 2-1 lead in the NBA Finals. Marcus Smart added 24 points. Stephen Curry led Golden State with 31 points and six 3-pointers. He had 15 points in a 33-25 third quarter by the Warriors but was hurt late in the fourth after Al Horford rolled into his leg on a loose ball. It was similar to a play during the regular season in which Smart dove into Curry’s legs while chasing a loose ball. NBA – Net change: Warriors find Boston baskets set too high The Golden State Warriors arrived at the TD Garden for Game 3 of the NBA Finals to find that the basket they were shooting at in warmups was the wrong height. A 10-foot wooden pole was brought in to measure, and it confirmed that the basket was a couple of inches too high. It was quickly adjusted. Warriors coach Steve Kerr said during his pregame media availability that he wasn’t aware of the issue, but it wasn’t uncommon. Kerr then took the opportunity to needle the league for the finals’ late start times, saying: “It’s a good thing the game starts at midnight. We’ll have plenty of time to fix it.” NHL – National Hockey League – 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs – Conference Finals Tonight Tampa Bay Lightning at New York Rangers, 8:00 p.m.          (Series tied 2-2) WNBA – Women’s National Basketball Association Last Night Connecticut Sun 88, Indiana Fever 69 Washington Mystics 84, Chicago Sky 82 Sun 88, Fever 69 – Connecticut beats Indiana 88-69 for 4th straight victory Brionna Jones had 18 points and nine rebounds, Jonquel Jones added 16 points and nine rebounds, and the Connecticut Sun beat the Indiana Fever 88-69 for their fourth straight victory. DeWanna Bonner scored 12 points and Alyssa Thomas had 11 points, nine rebounds and five assists for Connecticut (10-3). DiJonai Carrington went 5 of 5 from the floor for the second straight game and finished with 12 points. Bonner moved into a tie for 17th in WNBA history for 3-pointers after a make early in the third quarter. NaLyssa Smith led Indiana with a season-high 19 points. Danielle Robinson added 12 points and Queen Egbo had 10. The Fever shot just 37.5% from the field, including 3 of 21 from distance. Mystics 84, Sky 82 – Cloud makes go-ahead free throw, Mystics hold off Sky 84-82 Ariel Atkins scored 19 points, Natasha Cloud made two free throws with six seconds left and the Washington Mystics held off the Chicago Sky 84-82 to avenge a series loss Sunday. Washington closed the first half on an 11-3 run to take a 45-40 lead and extended it to 57-42 after scoring 12 of the opening 14 points of the third. But the Mystics were held to just 15 points in the fourth as Chicago battled back. Chicago’s Candace Parker had a shot blocked but got her own rebound and converted a three-point play with 27.9 to tie it at 82. Cloud dribbled down the clock, drove to the basket and was fouled before making two free throws. Chicago got it inside to Parker, but her left-handed layup didn’t hit the rim. Nassar – Simone Biles, other women seek $1B-plus from FBI over Nassar Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and dozens of other women who say they were sexually assaulted by Larry Nassar are seeking more than $1 billion from the FBI for failing to stop the sports doctor. There’s no dispute that FBI agents in 2015 knew that Nassar was accused of assaulting gymnasts. But the agents failed to act, leaving Nassar free to continue to target young women and girls for more than a year. Individual lawsuits could follow the tort claims filed Wednesday. Claimants include Biles, Aly Raisman and McKayla Maroney, all Olympic gold medalists. An email seeking comment was sent to the FBI. In remarks to Congress last year, FBI Director Christopher Wray acknowledged major mistakes. NCAATF – Notre Dame’s Jacobs wins 10K title at NCAA championships Notre Dame junior Dylan Jacobs overcame a fall to win the 10,000 meters at the opening day of the NCAA Track and Field Championships on Wednesday. Jacobs took the lead on the final lap and held off runner-up Alex Maier of Oklahoma State to cross the finish line in 28 minutes, 12.32 seconds. Northern Arizona’s Abdihamid Nur was third. Southeast Missouri State senior Logan Blomquist won the hammer with a personal best of 240 feet, 8 inches (73.37 meters) in the final round. Tennessee freshman Wayne Pinnock won the men’s long jump at 26-3 (8 meters). Texas senior Adrian Piperi won the shot put at 70-7 1/4 (21.52 meters). NFL – Bears had workout canceled for violating NFL contact rules Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus says the team had to cancel an offseason workout this week because they violated NFL rules by having live contact in a session last month. Eberflus said the contact that occurred was because of overzealous players and not the team’s practice structure. He said neither he nor the organization was fined, and the Bears found out Monday evening that Tuesday’s OTA session was canceled. The Bears were back on the field on Wednesday. MILB – Midwest League Baseball Yesterday Lansing Lugnuts at West Michigan Whitecaps, PPD to 6/10 Cedar Rapids Kernels 12, South Bend Cubs 5 Great Lakes Loons at Dayton Dragons, PPD to 6/9 Today Great Lakes Loons at Dayton Dragons, 5:35 p.m. (DH) Lansing Lugnuts at West Michigan Whitecaps, 6:35 p.m. Cedar Rapids Kernels at South Bend Cubs, 7:05 p.m. MHSAA – High School Sports Last Night Girls Soccer – Regional Semifinals Division 2 at Battle Creek Harper Creek Gull Lake 1, Mason 0 Zeeland West 2, St. Joseph 1 Baseball – Regional Semifinals Division 1 at Portage Northern Mattawan 5, Hudsonville 2 Division 1 at Coldwater Battle Creek Lakeview vs. Ann Arbor Skyline, PPD Division 2 at Edwardsburg Berrien Springs vs. Vicksburg, PPD Division 3 at Centreville Buchanan vs. Climax-Scotts, PPD Division 4 at Kalamazoo College Michigan Lutheran vs. Gobles, PPD Division 4 at Decatur Decatur vs. Colon, PPD Today Baseball – Regional Semifinals Division 1 at Coldwater Battle Creek Lakeview vs. Ann Arbor Skyline, 6:00 p.m. Division 2 at Edwardsburg Berrien Springs vs. Vicksburg, 4:30 p.m. Division 3 at Centreville Buchanan vs. Climax-Scotts, 5:00 p.m. Division 4 at Kalamazoo College Michigan Lutheran vs. Gobles, 4:30 p.m. Division 4 at Decatur Decatur vs. Colon, 4:30 p.m. Girls Soccer – Regional Finals Division 1 At Caledonia Portage Central vs. Hudsonville, 6:00 p.m. Division 3 at Otsego Otsego vs. Hudsonville Unity Christian, 6:00 p.m. Friday Girls Soccer – Regional Finals Division 2 at Battle Creek Harper Creek Gull Lake vs. Zeeland West, 6:30 p.m. Division 4 at Portage Northern Our Lady of the Lake vs. Kalamazoo Christian, 6:30 p.m. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the third episode of ‘Reckonings with Europe: Pasts and Present', James Lowry and Meredith Terretta take up the object of archives: how law conceptualizes the archives of states; the ‘displaced', ‘disputed' or ‘migrated' archives left when empires and states are reconstituted; and what state archives can and cannot tell us. Works mentioned, in order of mention: James Lowry (ed), https://www.routledge.com/Displaced-Archives/Lowry/p/book/9780367193072 (Displaced Archives) (Routledge, 2017)  James Lowry (ed), Disputed Archival Heritage (forthcoming), esp chapter by J J Ghaddar, ‘Provenance in Place: Crafting the Vienna Convention for Global Decolonization and Archival Repatriation'. Meredith Terretta, Claimants, Advocates and Disrupters in Africa's Internationally Supervised Territories (forthcoming; for a sense of work to date on anticolonial advocate lawyering see ‘Claiming Land, Claiming Rights in Africa's Internationally Supervised Territories' in Steven L.B. Jensen and Charles Walton (eds), Social Rights and the Politics of Obligation in History (CUP, 2022) 264-286 https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdoi.org%2F10.1017%2F9781009008686.014&data=04%7C01%7Cmegan.donaldson%40ucl.ac.uk%7Cd08f48f47ab142e2558808da0b402901%7C1faf88fea9984c5b93c9210a11d9a5c2%7C0%7C0%7C637834667590835461%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=nVLmKsq92Zor4kI3%2Frm3ahXFbdeOuMpsYzrPYdmkGwQ%3D&reserved=0 (https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009008686.014); ‘http://muse.jhu.edu/article/680533 (Anti-Colonial Lawyering, Postwar Human Rights, and Decolonization across Imperial Boundaries in Africa)'. Canadian Journal of History 52(3), 448-478 (2017)). James Lowry, ‘Radical empathy, the imaginary and affect in (post)colonial records: how to break out of international stalemates on displaced archives'. Archival Science 19, 185–203 (2019). https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdoi.org%2F10.1007%2Fs10502-019-09305-z&data=04%7C01%7Cmegan.donaldson%40ucl.ac.uk%7C80fc6a077ad14fe02f3408da0b3e44ab%7C1faf88fea9984c5b93c9210a11d9a5c2%7C0%7C0%7C637834659614052115%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=vvZ7GROQyACafWpAR8%2FqDcPR1mrUI2sEIQs0ngJf0ws%3D&reserved=0 (https://doi.org/10.1007/s10502-019-09305-z) (For concise background on the ‘migrated archives', see James Lowry & Mandy Banton / Association of Commonwealth Archivists and Records Managers https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Facarmblog.files.wordpress.com%2F2018%2F10%2Facarm-position-paper-migrated-archives-adopted-20171125.pdf&data=04%7C01%7Cmegan.donaldson%40ucl.ac.uk%7C80fc6a077ad14fe02f3408da0b3e44ab%7C1faf88fea9984c5b93c9210a11d9a5c2%7C0%7C0%7C637834659614052115%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=IdqALVM%2FFVL8RWEHfTiQgV7D74ep0H%2FojnGrD2FeH9Q%3D&reserved=0 (position paper)). Umut Özsu, ‘Determining New Selves: Mohammed Bedjaoui on Algeria, Western Sahara, and Post-Classical International Law' in Jochen von Bernstorff and Philipp Dann (eds), The Battle for International Law: South–North Perspectives on the Decolonization Era (OUP, 2019) https://oxford.universitypressscholarship.com/view/10.1093/oso/9780198849636.001.0001/oso-9780198849636-chapter-16 (DOI:10.1093/oso/9780198849636.003.0016). Stanley H Griffin (with Jeannette A Bastian & John A Aarons) (eds), https://litwinbooks.com/books/decolonizing-the-caribbean-record-an-archives-reader/ (Decolonizing the Caribbean Record: An Archives Reader) (Litwin, 2018) (and forthcoming work in Displaced Archives, above).  

After days of boredom and lack of direction, the Geists finally get to meet the two claimants to the Averland throne: Rufus Lietdorf, son of the previous elector count, and Heinz-Mark Grosslich, an up and coming minor noble. First impressions are everything.

Ben and Nick discuss the often missed, or sometimes ignored, compliance issues that come up when a health plan is dealing with perennial high cost claimants.

In this episode of The Defense Never Rests podcast we are joined by Erin Larrea, our very own paralegal at Morgan & Akins. Tune in to hear more about Erin's journey in life that led her to our office!